ITV1 managed 5.5 million viewers and took a 21.5% share. BBC One drama 'Hustle' was its closest contender with 4.9 million and a 19.1% share.
Channel 4 got a 12% share (which includes the ratings for Channel 4+1) for the first of the three-part Ramsay vehicle, which started at 9pm and finished at 10.20pm.
It beat BBC Two's offering 'The British Family: Our History', presented by Kirsty Young, which attracted 1.9 million viewers and a 7.5% share at 9pm-10pm.
Five's 'Paul Merton in Europe' series, which also aired at 9pm-10pm, pulled in 1.3 million viewers and a 5.3% share.
'Celebrity Big Brother' inserted a surprise eviction night, running a show at 8-9pm with the result show after Gordon Ramsay at 10.20pm-10.50pm.
Ratings were below the 3m mark the series was hitting in its first week, with the first show notching up 2.6 million viewers and a 9.9% share and the second show 2.9 million viewers and a 20% share as Lady Sovereign was evicted.
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