Will it air before SCD or after it? I assumed it would be after but I suppose the BBC shoved Strictly later last year.

It's Tokyo in 2020 for the Olympics.

Six on the Friday for one hour from 21:00; the other eight on the Saturday for 75 minutes from 18:30.

Reminds me of the Sinbad trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk8qV7v9_Bs

Thanks.

There will be one more couple on the Saturday this year; I reckon they'll go for a 90 minute show from around 6.45pm this year, setting up another X Factor clash.

Strictly was definitely over by around 8.05pm. Launch shows are usually around the 7-8m mark for the last few years. It did start later and more in primetime than previous launches but the lacklustre line-up could mean people skipping it. The X Factor should be ahead so I won't be surprised tomorrow when the ratings come out.

BBC1 will be keeping Strictly and X Factor apart. Just like Merlin, Atlantis will be post Strictlly and be against TXF in the 8pm hour.

I doubt it; not after how Strictly managed to hurt The X Factor last year.

Thinking about it, I can see it going:

18.05 Atlantis
18.55 Strictly Come Dancing
20.25 Lottery
21.15 Casualty
22.10 BBC News and Weather
22.30 Match of the Day

That would put ITV into a real quandry in regards to The X Factor's scheduling.

Well they certainly don't want anything less than 6.30. And if they play the ratings game, a 15 minute overlap with XF will take the gloss of its ratings.

Atlantis probably needs the Strictly inheritence to have any chance though - and being against The X Factor probably benefits it more than it harms it.

American TV may want the athletics & swimming finals in the afternoon in Tokyo, which is prime time in the US. This happened with the swimming finals in Beijing in 2008.

If so the athletics & swimming finals will be after midnight UK time.

"Strictly Come Dancing" aired at 6.30pm for the beginning of the series while it ran for 90 minutes and benefitted from a fixed time slot. I would imagine given the ratings boost from this position it would encourage BBC One to repeat the fixed time again this year again."Atlantis" perhaps launching against "The X Factor" at 8pm like "Merlin" in 2012.

I dont get any sense the BBC is gunning against "The X Factor" and will probably try to accomodate it by scheduling "Strictly Come Dancing" first. "The X Factor" got a good run at the 8pm slot tonight and BBC One could have easily scheduled "Strictly Come Dancing" much later into the evening but gave both shows breathing space

I think it depends on the state The X Factor is in in a couple of weeks. I think the BBC will be looking at it's ratings from this weekend and next weekend very closely.

One thing is for sure - if the BBC are happy to clash a portion of Strictly with The X Factor then they really don't need a proper lottery show over the autumn. If they want to keep the two apart then they will need the quiz show to fill time.

Swimming might agree - not sure athletics would. The US rights to 2020 are already sold too, so NBC might not get their own way, but sadly probably will. I don't think it matters too much to the BBC - better for them to have a games with the evening events in the afternoon rather than in the middle of the night (as they will be in Rio), but they can put a decent highlights programme out in primetime.

BBC News carried the announcement live as a simulcast with BBC World. Not sure if Sky did - they seem to be doing a "State of Emergency" day with reports on A&E.

In a wider context I think we'll need to get used to Asian times for a few years with the Winter Olympics, Rugby World Cup, 2020 Olympics and 2022 World Cup all in that part of the world.

Sky News did broadcast the announcement live, but then moved on to other items shortly afterwards.

Strictly was on at 6.30pm for an hour last year. This year it started later so that could help it as the ratings hit 8m at 7pm and 9m at 7.15pm in the last quarter hour. So a potentially higher average with a later start. But I think of the line-up and people being critical of it. We'll see tomorrow.

I'll be highly surprised if Strictly's figure doesn't top last year's but we'll see in the morning.

I dont think this year's "Strictly Come Dancing" will beat last years ratings. Just dont think the line up is as starry and whether that could impact ratings I dont know.

I think Strictly will beat The X Factor tonight. For me,TXF just didn't flow that well until the end, the singers at beginning weren't that good even though they were put through. I suspect tomorrows episode to rate lower from a weaker Saturday episode. Shame, it all looked healthy last week.

I thought the first fifteen minutes of The X Factor was very stilted but it then picked up. Strictly was decent if padded to an unnecessary length but some of the pairings look intriguing.

In the past BBC1 have started Strictly before 6pm on some occasions and got lower ratings because of it.

Last year when ITV chased BBC1's The Voice round the schedule with BGT, there was a lot of fury that the BBC felt they were outwitted with The Voice being forced earlier. So they decided that they were going to continue to start Strictly at 6.30pm, like they did in 2011, and no earlier. And it would be up to ITV to accommodate them.

BBC1 see 6.30pm as Strictly time and if ITV didn't park their Strictly clone on BBC1's lawn, I doubt we would have seen a clash tonight.

I really don't think the line up matters too much for Strictly fans as long as they don't go down to CBB levels. It shouldn't make any difference for the launch show as people will tune in to find out who they are anyway - more people will find out who is on the show by watching the show than did by watching other shows or reading the news.

Yep i agree with that.

I also think it doesn't matter who the celebs are on SCD, viewers will watch Strictly regardless of which celeb's compete, its just a fun Saturday night show and it will rate well.

Well somebdoy has to be right tomorrow!

I'm thinking the lStrictly ine-up lacks a few big names but the lanch show is on later than last year. I just don't know. The X Factor did better on Sunday than Saturday last week. Was it down to people liking the Saturday show or just more available viewers? Will they be back this week or was last week due to curiosity views.

So many questions. Answers tomorrow.

Yeah I think that before 6pm is way too early for "Strictly Come Dancing" I remember one year it beginning at 5.45pm and still getting decent rating figures.

I guess its all down to personality at the end of the night. But I do remember that Phil Tuftnell was invited to appear, and Chris Hollins. Again some personalities are unknowns this year.