Last year they kept swapping Merlin and SCD, at least during the early weeks. Only right at the end did they sensibly move Strictly to a time people could watch both XF and SCD uninterrupted.

Not that I watch XF and I prefer my dose of Merlin on a sunday, goes perfect with a roast dinner Just hope they plan to show it on the sunday again as they did last year.

This seems like a bit of a non-story whipped up in the tabloids (with some help from a "source"). X Factor and Strictly have at least partially overlapped on several shows for the past couple of years so it's nothing new. Both shows seemed to get perfectly acceptable ratings so doubt it will do huge damage this time either.

When they've clashed in the past I've always taped X Factor. That way I can fast forward through the ridiculous padding (overblown voiceovers, excessive ad breaks, VTs of contestants saying its make or break then crying about their dead dog, etc). I managed to get one 90 minute show down to 25 mins last year by just watching the performances and judges comments. Much more enjoyable.

I thought Merlin was shown on Saturdays, last year?

If I remember rightly, it was shown on both days .

Does anyone know if Merlin is going to HD this year btw?

I dont understand why the BBC have gone for this they dont have to chase ratings as they are publicly funded - it just seems to me that our licence fees are being used to put under pressure another company that does have to chase advertising revenue to survive

Because they are doing what is best for their programs and fans of them. 6pm is too early for either Merlin or SCD.

ITV could easily help themselves by switching round their game show and XF.

And putting Merlin on at around 8:20 is too late.

Indeed. And obviously they're not going to sacrifice by putting it on ridiculously early either.

Is it just me or are the papers and ITV the biggest hypocrites?

ITV moved the x factor results to Sunday nights to compete with Strictly not knowing the bbc where moving it back to Saturday night but before they announced they were moving the results you didn't see the papers or ITV complaining about the two results shows clashing or that the viewers were losing out

The papers were the ones that keep comparing the ratings of Strictly and X-Factor last year when they were not even on at the same time and a lot of people watched both. Every other year they were on at the same time and Strictly won the rating battle every time

I will watch Strictly as usual and tape X-Factor skipping the breaks

Most of the tabloids have forgoten, that an thing called the vcr was invented an few years ago

The thing is the VCR exiss to tape Strictly and Merlin as well, so by using it as an argument for allowing Strictly and The X Factor to clash, it nul and voids it because Merlin can be taped if it's on 'too late', and Strictly can be taped if it's on 'too early'.

well thats my EPG sorted out then?

I think all this rubbish about how the BBC should air Strictly at an earlier time slot on Saturday to avoid a clash with X Factor is completely ridiculous. Why should Strictly air at an earlier time just to accomodate X Factor, when last year they tried it, and found they had a slight dip in the ratings. I think it's totally unfair of all the criticisn the BBC is recieving. If ITV are so bothered then why don't they move their show to earlier time.

Strictly should always be aired AFTER 7pm, as it's perfect for prime time, and will ensure maximum ratings.

By the way i watch BOTH the X Factor and Strictly.
I will be recording Strictly on my VCR and watch it late Saturday night, and catch The X Factor sometime on Sunday.

I agree. I hate the bias that X Factor receives in the press even though both X Factor and Strictly have similar ratings and popularity

If ITV moved X Factor against Strictly, the papers wouldn't bat an eyelid, but when the BBC does it, it's 'aggressive'.

In the past when the two shows have gone head-to-head Strictly wins the battle of the ratings. ITV knows this and they are scared . It also ruins their plans to replicate the huge ratings of BGT on the X Factor.

I can see Strictly re-gaining the upper hand this year. Let's see what desperate publicity ITV are going to shovel out over the next few months

And the voting on Strictly? Rather difficult to do via a recording (I guess that XF does not have this issue at the moment).

And even when it does, XF can likewise be recorded (so SCD is not affected). Don't always assume that the BBC's schedules have to change (as pointed out on the thread in Broadcasting, to which you have also contributed).

I really don't get why the BBC is being criticised for putting SCD up against X-Factor????

Why on earth should what is probably the BBC's biggest money spinning show have to fit in with a show on any other channel? Are people seriously saying that the BBC should arrange its scheduling around the shows on non-BBC channels? The BBC is answerable to the licence payers (not commercial TV producers) and is supposed to provide the best value for money - surely placing its top shows in prime time slots is the way to do both?

I don't want to watch SCD at 6.00pm when I haven't even settled down for the the evening. I want to watch one of my favourite shows as the main highlight of my evening's viewing.

How many people really can't work out how to vote on both shows, if that's really what they want to do?

How many people don't already record one show and watch the other live or watch one of the repeats or watch online later?

This is a ridiculous discussion imho and it really must be the silly season or a slow news week. SCD has gone 'head to head' () plenty of times in the past and it hasn't made the news before. I mean discussing it on Newsnight - give me a break! There are 61+ million people in the UK and maybe 10%-15% of them watch SCD or X-Factor. Even less will watch both.

i want to see both XF and SCD live though

I also want to see both live but it looks like im gonna have to watch X Factor on sunday

Sometimes in life, you have to make difficult choices, sometimes you can't have exactly what you want (and you accept that a compromise position has to be found). That's how it is.

Well, tell the X-Factor to move!

If only my difficult choices in life were like this!

i have took more of an interest in the x factor this year where as before i had allways prefered strictly so im torn with which one to watch first,

same here rickster

i will probably watch scd live next week record x factor and watch on sunday before second show

Know that feeling. In a spiteful way I want to watch The X Factor live and Strictly on record so the BBC don't get what they want...but as it's results night I'll probably be watching Strictly live in the end.

For goodness sake ! I agree with Buddy B - Watch Strictly live, record the others or watch on Iplayer-simples! I'm recording Coronation St. on Friday so I don't miss it when I watch Strictly live. Just a bit of forward planning's all you need!

As always Buddy, you are my thought twin.

It's not as if XFactor is even at the live shows yet and voting is an issue. We've still got weeks of pre-recorded stuff to go!