Apart from the, I suppose obvious (probably answering my own question here), reason of gong up against the X-Factor final, I wonder why the semi-finals are being hyped up as the big 'event' weekend - what with the extra show on Friday, double elimination, swing-off etc.

I can't help feeling that there's even the risk that the final could end up feeling like a bit of an anticlimax after all the bells & whistles of the semis.

I think you've correctly answered your own question. It's all about combatting the X-Factor.

If Matt and Kara are both in the final it's certainly not going to be a let-down.

One reason I think is in case someone dropped out. Then they could have a one-person elimination instead of two.

The main reason they record the results on Saturday is almost certainly due to costs. On the final weekend there is no X Factor opposition so they can afford to have the results live on Saturday without fear of the ratings being hit.

Also on the Final weekend on Sunday is the Sports Personailty Of The Year which will take up most of Sunday evening so there isn't really much opportunity to have the results in Prime time anyway then.

I think one of the reasons we've got another helping of Strictly this year, on Friday, might be because of Coronation Street- the 50th celebrations. It doesn't clash directly with Corrie but there is a Coronation Street special after the 8.30 showing, which starts at 9.00, so people will most likely stick with ITV to watch that. It's all about which channel gets the biggest share of the audience on that night. They needed something to boost the BBC's ratings for that night and Strictly is the ideal programme to do this.

Poor old dancers - there they are working their little socks off for the chance to compete for a tacky glitterball, and all the BBC cares about is ratings!
Makes you wonder sometimes why they do it. Perhaps just for the chance to chat to Claudia while sitting in a weird Barbie-doll designed stage set?

I was wondering about that - I think it's also a factor that, for the first time in years, they've managed to get through the series without any casualties or walk outs resulting in a lame two-person finale (2008 only had three because of a scoring aberation). However, the Beeb didn't know that was going to happen, so they stocked up on contestants, didn't waste any of them in early double eliminations, and now have the luxury of a double elimination this week and a three-person finale at the end. Much, much better.