X Factor rises to 8.4m viewers, up 1.5m from last Saturday and 800k from last years equivalent episode.

Huge ratings!

Well it lost me after last nights episode.

They will be kicking themselves that they aired a terrible episode though, they spent so long on those joke contestants with the chicken, that could turn people away again.

Edit: Terrible is too strong, but I assume you'll get my point.

I think the positive press and social media reaction will have helped boosted the audience for the second episode.

I think they deserve it too - I'm really enjoying this series, having bit watched it properly for years. It seems more fun, funnier and less relentlessly manipulative this time round. It's still basically a load of old rubbish, but it's enjoyable and non irritating old rubbish this time round!

I certainly irritated me last night. If it is no better tonight it will be the last time I watch it.

Higher than every show last year bar the final and almost level with last year's final.

A positive indictment of the new panel, Dermot returning and the production changes.

Last night's show will probably make ratings fall. They spent WAY too long on chicken gate (it felt like it went on forever) and it looked ridiculously staged. Won't be surprised if it falls by 1m+ tonight.

What ? And miss Fleur at judges houses, and Fleur singing as special guest on the live shows, and probably Fleur sitting is as guest judge when Sharon needs to have her staples tightened ?

Oh dear!!! LOL

Better ratings and we got 10 minutes with Dumb & Dumber in the process. Shame as the show ended on a definite high note with Kayleigh.

Just watched 'Chicken Gate' - it's not that bad. I don't think their audition was staged but maybe faked by the pair. I think the audition afterwards would of helped it. Just look at Honey G, DS readers complained but it didn't really harm the show.

Never the less, the ratings will drop as they do every Sunday.

it was staged from the first minute

Good ratings yes but I agree with most people in here, it was a ridiculous episode last night, and in my view didn't deserve 8 million or so views, the first two did though, they were great, last night not so much, it will be interesting to see tomorrow, what views tonight's episode will get.

Reason.

The return of SCD boosted it.

Nothing on BBC1 as string competition.

Why would it?

They were asked to audition. Of course it was staged.

It is OK so for this year. A bit more like it was in the old days... Not too many sob stories, a few crazy people, some good talents, hardly any shouty girl singers.

That 20 minute stint with those 2 pathetic chicken obsessed twits last night peed me off tho, but I'll let it go...this time...

The Strictly effect.

People stayed in to watch Strictly. The timings worked perfectly for a direct switch over as soon as Strictly finished.

Strictly was there on the same night last year too but last night was still higher. Plus there have been plenty of occasions when Strictly has been there but XF has been lower than it was last night.

Last few years the auditions rate well then fall away afterwards.

If the Six Chair Challenge drags on for weeks and weeks like it did last year i'm not watching that section of the show. I have never been so bored in all my life.

Except at the start of saturdays xfactor, only 6.4 million were watching - so didnt get a huge boost from Strictly, viewers grew throughout the episode.

I think a lot of the rise is to do with the positive word of mouth, Xfactor finally feels fun and worth watching this year, credit where its due.

X factor Sunday episode got 7.65m, 500k up YOY and on par with 2014. Huge ratings!

on par with 2014 explains itself, with Dermot back and olly murs fired.
it's going to stay behind Strictly though

The fact that people were watching Strictly and turned over probably helped.