New ITV1 factual series Strangeways locked up almost 5.5m on Monday night, beating a BBC documentary on Royal Wootton Basset, according to the latest audience data.
Strangeways, a three-part series on Britain's largest high security prison, averaged 5.47m (22.8%) for ITV1 in the 9pm hour and 304k (1.7%) on ITV1+1.
The programme outperformed Wootton Bassett: The Town That Remembers, a documentary on the first town to earn a royal title in over 100 years, which captivated 2.84m (11.8%) on BBC One.
Earlier, Saints and Scroungers returned with 3.44m (15.5%) on BBC One from 7.30pm, while The Dales entertained 3.79m (16.1%) on ITV1 from 8pm. Panorama mustered 2.97m (12.5%) on BBC One from 8.30pm and Question of Sport amused 2.7m (18.5%) from 10.45pm.
Over at BBC Two, Atlantis: The Evidence fetched 1.76m (8.2%) in the 7pm hour and Business Nightmares with Evan Davis debuted with 1.55m (6.5%) in the 8pm hour. Children's Craniofacial Surgery educated 1.44m (6%) from 9pm and Never Mind The Buzzcocks had 1.14m (5.7%) from 10pm.
A Year Inside Number 10 pulled in 630k (2.7%) on Channel 4 in the 8pm hour. New series Gordon's Great Escape served up a modest 990k (4.1%) in the 9pm hour and 235k (1.3%) on +1. A screening of 28 Weeks Later scared up 760k (5.7%) from 10pm.
Channel 5's How Do They Do it? took 404k (1.8%) from 7.30pm, before The Gadget Show switched on 925k (3.9%) from 8pm. The Hotel Inspector booked in 1.68m (7%) in the 9pm hour. There's Something About Josie, a new reality TV series following former Big Brother winner Josie Gibson, dazzled 719k (4.1%) from 10pm.
Overall, ITV1 owned primetime with 25% (+1: 0.6%) against BBC One's 18.8%. BBC Two came in third with 6.6%, followed by Channel 5 with 4.2% and Channel 4 with 3.6% (+1: 0.6%).
Elsewhere, an extended Glee entertained 1.3m (5.5%) on E4 between 9pm and 10.15pm, along with 275k (1.7%) on +1. Fantasy drama Game Of Thrones had 628k (2.6%) on Sky Atlantic from 9pm.
Live coverage of Liverpool's crushing Premier League victory over Fulham pulled in 1.24m (5.4%) on Sky Sports 1 from 7.30pm.