ITV1 reported a peak time share of 38.6% last week - for the period between 25 May and 31 May - its best week since February 2001.
Fuelled by the unfolding Susan Boyle drama, the results of Britain's Got Talent attracted 19.2 million - the highest five minutes of peak TV in the UK since July 2006.
According to an agency source, the finals concluded ITV1's most profitable month of the year, taking £100m in ad revenue, £7m higher than the previous most lucrative.
ITV was also boosted online by ITV.com posting a record month in May, with total video views rising 528% to more than 55 million.
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