Why? Something tells me you wouldn't be saying that if it was up and not down.

Y-o-Y comparisons are entirely relevant here when measuring the scale of the decline.

Only that doesn't really explain why the show is down week-on-week (in both average audience, +1 viewing and peak) when the clash is smaller.

It would just prove what a sad nation this is when it takes something as tacky and negative as 'bullygate' to get viewers. What kind of TV programme would use bullying as a form of entertainment?

Now I was thinking how The X Factor is doing might have a positive/negative affect on The Voice.

Will audiences tire of yet another singing show or embrace it because of the tedium of The X Factor?

Saying how much it is down percentage wise is fine, but at this stage it's pretty evident it is down year-on-year, there's no point regurgitating that fact.

Plus, I think we should really compare now with 2008 and 2009 rather than 2010.

It depends when the voice is going to be on, It wont do well in the Spring, as evenings become brighter. People like to watch x factor and strictly on cold dark winter evenings. Spring is a bad time

Because Simon is the star of X Factor US and Nicole isn't.

At this stage ensuring that the US show gains momentum and grows in the ratings over the coming weeks will be priority number one for Cowell and not attempting to 'save' the UK version of the show. Like it or not Fox (and the US market) holds a lot more power than ITV (and the UK market) which is why Cowell didn't think twice about taking the two star players from the UK version of the show to the US. Although ultimately only one of those star players, himself, survived the transition.

In addition to being the face of the show in the US and just about the only person on it that's been able to secure any kind of positive press he's actively producing the show as well which is something that he would ideally need to be on the ground in the US doing.

Like I said at this stage I think its more likely that Cheryl will return than Cowell. And whilst Cheryl's return might not work quite so well on the show itself I imagine she'll secure much more media coverage than Cowell and much more sustained media coverage as well.

Er Happy you've been bashing Strictly sincethe launch show, so why still watch? Strangely you always Attack The Voice as well while praising The X factor

The X Factor relies on comedy mishaps and entertainment, where as The Voice is purely on the singing (they'll ram that down our throats) so some are bound to watch it for that alone.

It will be interesting to see who they get on board, Tom Jones is the latest whisper -- now that would be a coup for the older demographic.

I agree. I don't think it was ever going to beat last year.

As i said this could be good for X Factor next year could grow. Not to 2010 levels of course but it could be up maybe 5% next year.

I guarantee a visit from Cowell within the next two weeks. It is only a flight away

I agree. It's a shame it's starting in Spring as it would rate higher with a January start.

I thought it was going to start in January?

Kelly was annoying last night.
It was totally clear the stories about cowell going nuclear on the judges were true.
Kelly came across as a guest on the Jerry Springer show for most of the night.

True. If the Strictly Come Dancing judges can do it why can't he

Yesterday's The X Factor (inc +1) was down -17% vs. the third live show last year. That's quite a hefty drop, bearing in mind in recent weeks it was -10%.

Live Show 1: -10%
Live Show 2: -10%
Live Show 3: -17%

Considering the SCD clash was smaller than previous weeks yesterday, it really ought to have been around that -10% mark. It suggests to me though that the gap between the two series (2010 and 2011) could get progressively wider as this series goes on as this series isn't showing signs of building a lot of momentum like the last two years.


The Voice couldn't have come at a better time, really. With ratings falling for The X Factor and general public perception of the show being in decline at the moment, it's probably the best time for another singing format like The Voice to launch in the last 5 years. The fact that The Voice actually focusses on talent (on the whole) will be an advantage for it when setting it apart from The X Factor and will give it a positive image when comparisons between the two shows are done. I doubt it'd actually hit XF levels (or even come close) but I can see it doing really well for a light entertainment show compared to recent efforts.

It'll depend on how successfully the BBC can distinguish it from The X Factor and I suppose why audiences have left The X Factor this year. I think if the BBC can successfully market The Voice as a legitimate talent contest and actually follow through on that then they should be fine. As we've seen in the markets where the show has launched with that remit audiences have responded to it and I suspect disgruntled X Factor fans bored of the sideshow elements can only help that.


I think it is ridiculous to ignore the decline from 2010 regardless of how obvious it might be.

I'm not saying ignore it, I'm just saying 2008 and 2009 maybe more useful too if they are closer to those years.

On the US version last week Simon played the 'we've made a huge mistake' card when deciding the Top 16 which is now the Top 17!

If it starts in January it might do better as it will have the audience drawn in at that stage. All depends on timing

Because the Strictly judges aren't the faces of Dancing with the Stars nor are they producers on the show. Nor has the entire series of Strictly Come Dancing been built on this ridiculous notion of 'the new generation'.

This isn't like the days when Simon Cowell was on American Idol. Fox will expect him to be in the US working on and likely promoting The X Factor US not flying to and from the UK in order to try and prop up the UK version. At this stage Fox have spent tens of millions on The X Factor and they will want a return on that investment and Cowell has staked a lot on delivering that.

If we were in a situation where The X Factor were pulling a 5+ in the demo then Cowell might have a little more breathing room but its not. The show is at a high 3/low 4 and that is well under expectations and well under what the show was sold at. As I said before his primary concern will have to be X Factor US and not X Factor UK.

On top of that Cowell needs to protect his image. It would be beyond a disaster if he were to fly back to appear on the UK version and it did nothing for the ratings. Like people keep saying Simon is the trump card and as such they need to make sure his appearances actually have an effect otherwise that illusion is gone and a thrown together at the last minute one-off appearance next week isn't doing that. My guess is that he'll return for the semi-final and/or final after a carefully managed publicity campaign.

Beyond that I'd argue that a one-off appearance isn't really going to help UK X Factor very much. If anything it might make the whole situation worse. Lets for the sake of argument say Cowell appears on next weeks show and the numbers jump up to 11 million what happens the following week when he's not there and they drop back down to 9.8 million?

Wow i have just realised there are only 7 weeks until X Factor final. Has the year really gone that quick

That must be a worry for ITV bosses only 7 weeks to go and it's not building momentum it's going down.

The Voice UK starts in Spring according to the website.

I still don't understand that decision.

They've spent a fair bit of money on a new show and they're going to delay it until the spring rather than making use of the huge promotional platform they'll have over the Christmas period and launching it in January. The BBC knows (just like everyone else does) that they're going to have huge audiences over Christmas so why wouldn't they take advantage of that and hammer promotion of The Voice during that period ready to launch in early January?

I suppose they were concerned about following on that quickly from The X Factor but looking at how things are working out there that might now work in their favour. They should really try and bring the show forward.

This is what always annoyed me about The X Factor. Novelty acts with no talent staying in and more talented singers axed. The whole thing is far too contrived for me. The Voice really does need to get the judges right though. I don't have a clue who the remaining judges will be but they need to be credible & big names.


Last year was an exceptional year as they had a perfect storm. It's like Britain's Got Talent with Susan Boyle which had a huge year. BGT has continued to rate well but not reached Susan Boyle heights of popularity.

I think The X Factor's rating last year, like BGT with Susan Boyle was the exception rather than the norm for the show.



If The Voice can get over 10m it will be viewed by the media as a success. I don't think that it's been bought to get 7-8m viewers. That's Let's Dance For Comic Relief territory. BBC1 want it to be as big as Strictly.


Ha! The same old same old. So contrived.