The Apprentice beats Champions League coverage

Live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League goalfest against Internazionale proved no ratings match for The Apprentice last night, Wednesday 20 October. Spurs' 4-3 defeat by Internazionale was watched by an average of 3.747 million viewers and attracted a 15.5% audience share on ITV1 and ITV1 HD between 7.30pm and 10pm. ITV1 HD's share of this audience was 250,000. Live match coverage averaged 4.01 million (16.5%) over two hours from 7.45pm across the two channels. The Apprentice averaged 6.561 million (25.7%) on BBC1 from 9pm, with another 325,000 (1.3%) on BBC HD. 9pm competition included BBC2's Wonderland documentary High Society Brides (1.713 million/6.7%), Channel 4's Grand Designs (2.652 million/10.4%, C4 +1 320,000/1.7%) and Channel 5's NCIS repeat (1.341 million/5.3%). Elsewhere last night a Mad Men episode hailed as the show's best ever attracted 291,000 (1.5%) on BBC4 from 10pm. Another 40,000 (0.2%) watched the BBC HD simulcast. Five main terrestrial analogue networks BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 (available in all UK homes with TV, except Channel 5, which reaches about 95%) BBC1 8pm: Waterloo Road – 4.499 million/18.6%, BBC HD 121,000/0.5% BBC2 11.30pm-3pm: The Spending Review – 631,000/10% ITV1/ITV1 HD 7pm: Emmerdale – 6.648 million/31.6% Channel 4 8pm: Food: What Goes in Your Basket? – 1.803 million/7.5%, C4+1 135,000/0.5% Channel 5 10pm: Law & Order: Criminal Intent – 921,000/5% Freeview/digital terrestrial TV free-to-air networks Available in 23.4m UK homes – 91.4% of total – as of 31/12/09. Source: Ofcom digital progress report, Q4 2009 ITV2 9pm: Peter Andre: the Next Chapter – 686,000/2.7% E4 9pm: Ugly Betty – 503,000/2% 10pm: Desperate Housewives – 339,000/1.8% BBC3 9pm: Mobo Awards – 304,000/1.4% BBC4 9pm: Michael Wood's Story of England – 437,000/1.7% Cable and satellite pay-TV networks Available in 12.4m UK homes – 48.2% of total – as of 31/12/09. Source: Ofcom digital progress report, Q4 2009 Sky1 8pm: Prince William's Africa – 204,000/0.8% 9pm: Bones (new series) – 434,000/1.7% Comedy Central 10pm: The Office: an American Workplace (new series) – 44,000/0.2% 10.30pm: The Office: an American Workplace – 24,000/0.2% All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, HD, +1 or other – unless otherwise stated • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".