NBC was pushing this hard (even more so than US tv usually promotes itself) during the Ravens @ Broncos NFL game. I guess they're fairly confident in it.

I believe it will air before SCD, it could run at 6pm with SCD following on thus forcing ITV to schedule the X -Factor later than the want to avoid clashing.

I think I am too. It looks great. Ashame its been taken by Sky. So annoying.

I wouldn't be surprised if the SCD launch show beat TXF which will lead to loads of over the top reactions about TXF being in trouble because 'even a launch show' beat it.

The same will apply if he SCD launch show comes close to beating it.

The celebrity line up will have no effect at all on SCD's ratings at this stage of the competition.

Having just watched the Strictly opener, I can safely say that it is defiantly the superior dance show and is good family entertainment. The launch was fun. And as much as I hate to say it, but it was much more entertaining than X Factor tonight. I always enjoy the LIVE shows on TXF more than the auditions though.

I usually do skip through the auditions straight to Boot Camp, though have watched from the beginning for the last couple of years. Not a fan of the rooms though, but it's a good compromise which allows them to show some of the awful auditionees without wasting time on them in the arena.

I have always felt though the audtions would be better stripped over a week to get them done with ASAP.

Qatar isn't in the Far East and is only two hours ahead of UK time. Maybe three in the winter.

An expensive, brand new family drama will not air at 6pm. The first shows of Strictly are nearly two hours long. Atlantis has been commissioned to replace Merlin. It will therefore be in the post Strictly slot. Guaranteed.

6.20pm Strictly Come Dancing
8.00 Atlantis
8.45 The National Lottery Draws
8.55 Casualty
9.45 Comedy series
10.10 News

That actually makes sense for Atlantis as you wouldn't want it to die a death as soon as it started against The X Factor. But I see it as taking over from Merlin in spirit and timeslot. So after 8pm.

Then the question remains whether the BBC will try and shove Strictly later to dent The X Factor or keep it close to the above. They could easily drop the comedy series and move everything 25 minutes later.

We will know in a couple of weeks. But, I can confidently predict a post strictly slot for Atlantis. If X-Factor continues its success from last week, the Beeb will be foolish to try and dent it. Their best shot is to launch SCD before XF and capitalise on SCD's audience by showing Atlantis immediately afterwards.

Do you mind me asking - have you seen the episode or do you mean the trailer was impressive?

Just going on the trailer, I thought Atlantis looked ridiculously like Merlin - from the glowing writing to the topless men to at one point he seemed to be standing in Merlin's dragon's cave. I wasn't that impressed by the trailer, it looked like copying, but then I watched five years of Merlin mainly because I had a crush on one of the main actors and so it's like they've kept everything about Merlin except the reason I watched it - I don't think that will be the general reaction. I think it is Howard Overman in charge this time, so it might be better written than Merlin. I agree that it should be able to find most of Merlin's audience. I think they should put it in Merlin's slot opposite X Factor, that worked well.

I agree.

A Strictly lead-in would give Atlantis a good boost. BBC1 will want to keep any clash with X Factor to a bare minimum as it benefits both shows.


Atlantis did look very Merlin 2.0 but I liked Merlin so hopefully this will be decent.

I cannot see it as there aren't any lottery game shows already in the can. They always take the autumn off for SCD and Merlin and resume their shows in January. I suspect the early October schedule will be like this.

17:35 - Pointless Celebrities
18:20 - Strictly Come Dancing
20:20 - Atlantis
21:05 - Lottery Draws
21:15 - Casualty
22:10 - BBC News and Weather
22:30 - Match of the Day

Big 5 European Market Football Ratings

Germany vs Austria – 10.49m (38.5%)
Spain vs Finland – 4.35m (35.9%)
Italy vs Bulgaria – 7.17m (32.4%)
England vs Moldova – 5.29m (24.6%)
France vs Georgia – 5.28m (22.8%)

just watched strictly, really excited this year, hope it rates well.

I thought the quality of celebrity could be suspect, but once the show started it just looked like a really good group of characters, if not perhaps dancers.

Does anybody know when The X Factor goes live? I'm thinking ITV will plug that even more than last year.

Really enjoyed the puppets tonight, thinking maybe they should of scrapped the celebs make it more of a competition

12th October presumably.

Yes, it did.

No loyal audience there, then.

I think X Factor may be down a bit, if the show thread is anything to go by. Just under 800 posts after the first show compared to about 1,800 last week.

"Strictly Come Dancing" was really well produced in terms of the production. Had the line up of celebrities been amazing I think the ratings could well be massive but the fact they have chosen the likes of Racheal Riley suggested they were turned down by a lot of their first choices. I think had they had Rebbeca Arlington in there she would have been better than the likes of Deborah Meaden. And its a shame that Barbara Windsor refused. I think a celebrity line up guarentees ratings success.

I do agree though that this doesnt matter much once the competition goes on and the personalities and celebrities moments on the show come out. Once they got on the floor you could see some great choices. But Tony Jacklin was not an inspired selection or the hairy biker. Or the fashion designer Julian. They should have got better names in I think.

David Harewood, who turned down the opportunity, would have had more impact than a name like Patrick Robinson.

I dont think they should have anyone from "Casualty" or "Holby City" and "Waterloo Road" on it actually as they just seem to be just furthering their careers on the programme by doing it in between claiming job seekers allowance. I think the actors invited should really be quite reputable.

Who is Rebecca Arlington?


No, the ability of the celebs, combined with likeable personalities and celeb/pro pairings seem to do the trick


Patrick is still in Casualty though.

Hope so. "Strictly Come Dancing" is a fantanstic show so be great to see it come top. I guess once it gets going it should be pulling in millions. But the year Chris Hollins won the title I remember it being a less than stellar cast and the ratings suffered that year. But hopefully the producers have got a good mix this this time and lots of chemistry.

Potentially a big moment in xfactors history coming up in the next few moments if its ratings fell a lot like what the forecasters have predicted...