SCD was the least anticipated final in memory as they got rid of Pixie the wow dancer to a lesser extent Jake who was a fan favourite. We were left with quite an average bunch for the final so the decrease doesn't surprise me.

Although lets not go overboard 10m+ is hardly disappointing and I'm guessing the share were similar to last years.

In the period 1968-81 BBC One dominated Saturday nights and many of their shows attracted 19 million viewers. However, after 1981, ITV took over Saturday nights for a few years, BBC One moved DW from Saturday nights, Parkinson and Mike Yarwood jumped ship and The Generation Game was cancelled, leaving BBC One with a weak Saturday schedule. ITV had some massive hits like Game for a Laugh and Robin of Sherwood, while BBC One would be showing some cheap film or a panel game.
Since the mid eighties the spoils seem to be divided more evenly. These days ITV has IAC, TXF, BGT and SNT to deliver high ratings, while BBC One has DW, SCD, the National Lottery and TV as ratings hits.

Conversely, two others were one point off the bottom, instead of 2 and 3 where they should have been (making it far more likely that they would be in the dance off.

However it is portrayed, if Pixie had garnered more public votes (certainly more than those below her) she would have avoided the dance off. She did not.

Thanks!

The public didn't vote enough for Pixie or Jake so they are the ones to get rid of them, note they were there last night so that's not an issue.

SCD got up to 46% share last night, ten million viewers, there is nothing wrong with it, if it ant broke don't fix it, on the other hand XF was on the slide and went off a cliff with Cowells return.


BBC news On last nights ratings.

Actually 30 years ago BBC One was coming out of a two year ratings slump, which had seen the channel fall to 31 per cent in the winter of 1983-84. Just as people criticise the channel now for its lifestyle programmes and derivative shows like TV, then BBC One was criticised for too many repeats, imported shows and substandard dramas, DW in particular coming in for stinging criticism and falling ratings. While ITV, which was going through a golden era then, would be showing Auf Wiedersehen Pet., BBC One would have Knots Landing as the alternative.

They have been used previously, but not as widespread, and in the case of the backing dancers, they were not used to partner a celeb or to assist in lifts. Neither have they taken to the floor in front of the couple (and crashed into one celeb, whilst obscuring others), neither did they partner a celeb in the Rhumba. All of which happened this series.

Tell me, the jive is a fast dance using kicks & flicks (relying upon firm floor contact for the bounce) - would you consider it to be a good idea to start this dance whilst stood on a surfboard which rocks from side to side?


And some of the choices of music (sometimes chosen to fit the theme) has been atrocious, meaning that the couple either had no chance, or the music destroyed the feeling of the dance completely (Beethoven's Fifth for an Argentine Tango for starters )

Wonder what it will consolidate to?

Certainly not on water !!!!

A few calculations.

Based on the overnights and shares for the main Strictly show:
23m watching TV last night.
23.8m watching on the same night last year.

If last night's Strictly shows had had the same share as last year the ratings would have been:
Main Show 11m
Results 10.9m


Last night's shows had the first and third highest overnights of this series (with the live Blackpool show at number 2). Last year's finals rated a fair bit higher than any other episodes so the problem this year seems to be a failure to attract too many casual viewers.


The drop in overall viewers might mean more people going out for a Saturday night pre-Christmas drink. It's very mild for the time of year. That could tempt people to go down the pub. (I don't know how the weather compares to last year).
Also some people may have more disposable income this Christmas (more money for a night out at the pub). Petrol prices have plummeted in the last few weeks. (Where I am, prices are practically falling on a daily basis). Also, food is cheaper this year, due to tougher competition for the main supermarkets. My local Tesco's has been cutting a lot of prices to £1 to compete with the pound shops and in some cases that's a fairly big drop. (Here endeth The Money Programme.)

Most shows have dropped and I think we were all prepared for SCD to be down as well.

It's the drop for the results show that has taken most of us by surprise, I think. If the ratings were simply reversed (main show 10.2m, Results 10.7m), I'm not sure if there would be so much talk about it.

Bake Off is barred by many because its on the wrong channel.

Giving this quote a bump. I would also like to see the ratings if they are available. Thanks

Odd I agree. Was it on about the same time as last year?

It was on 10 minutes earlier last year - before the lottery instead of after it.

20.40 to, presumably, 21.50 (or around then) so started 10 minutes earlier. I think what may have helped is Harry Potter finished at 21.10 last year which may have resulted in casual viewers switching over at that point.

But that doesn't really explain the 500k drop between shows.

There have been a lot of odd ratings this year and that is certainly one of them. Not looking too good for The Apprentice then?

Still think the contestants weren't exciting enough in the final three. Its vital too get a stronger cast next year. The final ran smoother to me, it was on par with any other. The contestants lacked spark, engagement with the public.

I do think there is some truth in this. Bruce did add an X factor to the show that has been missing and this was probably more accentuated in the final show. Although he was getting past it and his jokes were sometimes excruciating, that was almost part of the format and while some hated it, the vast majority were prepared to tolerate it. I think the proof of this is that ratings didn't shoot up as some claimed they would when he left. But I also think it was becoming more and more inevitable that he'd go, if not this year then next. The key thing for Strictly now is to make sure that the drop this year is a one off. They can best do that by getting a very strong cast next year.

The Illusionists at 21.10 last year on ITV rated 2m.

I don't think Strictly has too much to worry about, I think the broadcasters do have something to worry about "How can we stop this decline in overall TV audience".

It's an old program still doing very well, I must say the drop for the results is surprising and it was about 0.5m lower than I expected. I think the Results were affected by the Lottery being on before rather than after it, Silly idea in my opinion.

It's basically a continuation of a trend we have seen all year. Newer fresher shows are still able to do well but the older shows are now struggling with the current overall climate as they are no longer "new". And I do believe not being "New" does effect things these days.

We live in a culture of consumerism and greed, people throw old things away and have a short attention span. I do think people have a shorter attention span now, Twatter hasn't helped as people turn tribal.

Someone mentioned Food and fuel prices. This is a good point, Fuel prices are going through the floor where we are. Some people may be able to "Go Out" for the first time in a few years. That I think is a significant factor.

Was not the same said last year though?

Yep, and it was a better show this year I thought.

I'm annoyed that the BBC continue to list the main final and You're Hired as one two-hour programme. My mum watches The Apprentice but she won't stay up to 11pm to watch Hired and I imagine quite a few other viewers will do, so that will drag down the average and make it look like the final has done worse than it actually did.