In the world of real people who have been watching these shows for a decade, how would that have resulted in a better rating for TXF?

People wouldn't have turned over the SCD? You think they watched it for 2 hours because it was the only entertainment on at 7:10, and if TXF had started at that time, it would have changed their whole evening?

No they wouldn't, they would have been brave to take the SCD clash head on. They have done it in the past and still managed to pull in 7.8m (like last year) though admitadely that was for the six chair challenge.

Putting YBF (a rpt as well) at 7.30pm is being idiotic. It gave SCD an extra leap of viewers at 7.30pm which created a larger rating at 8pm for TXF to take on.

Well I don't think starting X Factor early is a good idea like others have suggested, but at least something worth sticking around for might have held on to more of the audience.

Didn't watch either last night, need to catch up.
Great for SCD though. Any word when the Judge performed ?

Putting X Factor on that early is most definitely not the answer. Moreover, I suspect you'd be branding ITV as "idiotic" if X Factor was on that early.

So the public like having celebrities who have already had dance training rather than celebrities learning to dance. Makes sense.
Strictly shows that a strong format can not miss a beat when the host changes. As did XF ten years ago. Good news got C4.

XF number was exactly what I predicted. It sounds like it was a good show too. How come it's moving studios next year? Are ITV moving from Ant and Dec tower?

Surprised to see The X Factor manage 6m against Strictly excluding the ads - the drop off for the breaks is very clear and seem quite big; a lot of people doing the same as me and catching up after Strictly, fast forwarding through the ads in the process?

But surely starting earlier would have reduced the higher number SCD gained from YBF and given TXF a lower number to face. Thus more viewers might have stuck around after the football at TXF was on soon, and not in an hours time.

When TXF came on, SCD dropped to 9.8m. The momentom stopped. I think some TXF viewers who watched the football might have had SCD on until TXf started, then jumped ship. Starting earlier and taking out YBF surely would have kept the 7-7.30pm period over 3m, thus creatng a more stable lead in to TXF to gain some traction?

Fountain Studios is being closed and demolished. I reckon they'll move the show to ITV Studios unless it sees a massive increase I'm viewing figures - the set will be smaller but it's all about making the show affordable.

Perhaps, 7.30pm would be more appropriate.

I don't think any of the studios in the Southbank building are big enough; the largest studio is Studio 1, which is home to the likes of Saturday Night Takeaway and Graham Norton. X Factor couldn't have a studio that small.

My scheduling for The X Factor would be to start it one hour before Strictly finishes then plug +1 for all it's worth at the appropriate break. That way it'd finish at a more family appropriate time but people would have the opportunity to watch both shows in full should they be inclined to do so.

Possibly Shepperton? It's where they filmed series 1 of Fame Academy and that looked more than big enough. As I said before the only question is the cost.

Is the BBC planning to return Strictly to TVX once it's refurbished? I heard rumours but not sure if they're true.

Believe it or not, not everyone shares your weird hatred for the contestants this year. Most performances were excellent, the judges were on form and the production was superb. That is what the viewers will see.

I agree about the lead in however.

In your opinion of course Dan... Not every viewer will have found that the performances were excellent, the judges were on form and the production was superb. That's merely what you took from last nights show.

There seems to be a real problem with separating fact from opinion on this thread.

I think the X Factor would get more viewers if broadcast on a Wednesday.

I expect ITV own other facilities they could use.

If I remember rightly, I believe the three studios at TVC won't be anything like the size Strictly needs. I think they are only small scale studios. I might be wrong though.

Last year X Factor had some Sunday shows at 7pm when the Strictly results show started at 7.15pm. Strictly was ahead then during the overlap. I think people just hunt Strictly out now.

There is no competition on XF this year unlike Strictly. One act (Matt) is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest and is the most obvious winner ever! It could've been a close competitive show had the right acts been selected.

XF would just be clashing for longer; I fail to see how this helps it. Even if had the same 6.2m rating, what was gained as now you're doomed at 9pm? Whatismore, ITV is seen as the aggressor.

The XF clearly is staying as an 8pm show and ITV has decided that it'll pay off as SCD whittles its minutes away. ITV has the full details of the numbers and it suggests that XF is actually doing quite well overall. It's beating SCD with 18-34 year olds and consolidates well. We don't know those full numbers so we don't know.

If Meet the Parents tops 3m it's a hit and needs renewing. Or if it consolidates to over 4m it's doing well. Its bar is very low as it's been given toxic land to build a home.

Now if XF really wants to take on SCD, it needs to start before Strictly. If XF started at 6:30 and SCD started at 8pm then that would be an interesting battle. Not that I want to see it happen.

You think it's less competitive than Sam Bailey or Louisa Johnson? C'mon, gimme a break over here!

Really? Whilst enjoying both shows I'm more inclined the other way - I think Danny is a shoe in for Strictly whilst I can see the likes of Gifty, Relley C and 5 After Midnight pushing Matt all the way if not beating him.

TC1 still exists at TV Centre, it's the largest studio and Strictly came from there but it isn't as big as the George Lucas Stage at Elstree. Strictly should never return to TVC it just looks small scale.

Pinewood/Shepperton would be big enough for X Factor. It's a shame Fountain Studios is closing, a great space that always looks epic for entertainment shows.

I'm assuming this is a reference to C4 and GBBO - but I don't think Bruce retiring and Claudia transferring to SCD full time from ITT, all done in an atmosphere of positivity and goodwill, is remotely comparable to the cesspit of bad feeling Love Productions and C4 have created, losing three of GBBO's four presenters because of their own greed/desire for revenge (delete as applicable).

Thanks. I didn't know it wasn't filmed in that SNT tower that Ant and Dec run around in.

TV sets do seem small here. BT is the exception which exposes how small the sky sports sets are. Off topic I know.