It left The X Factor with less than 6 million viewers for the second weekend in a row.

Strictly v X Factor ratings

An average audience of 10.1 million viewers watched Strictly last night, a series high and up 300,000 viewers week-on-week. A peak audience of 10.8 million viewers tuned in as 10 celebs danced live.

The latest run has proved a big hit with yesterday's show up 800,000 viewer on 2015's equivalent episode and 600,000 up on 2014.

The X Factor meanwhile averaged 5.9 million viewers, representing an ever so slight week-on-week rise on last Saturday's series low of 5.8 million.

The episode, which peaked at 6.9 million viewers, is down 500,000 on 2015's equivalent (which aired in November) and 1.6 million on 2014's third live show.

The numbers really aren't great, not just compared to Strictly or past X Factor series, but even compared to this year's auditions.


The show has been in terminal decline, the three older judges this year is just not working, they are out of touch with the teen market the show is aimed at.

Poor talent, joke acts, wrong people put through, bad decisions, voting opening before acts sing, the show feels manipulated and stale.

It needs to be cut down, shorter shows, less filler, more focus on the real talent, less a stage for Nicole to boost her record sales, and go back to basics.

It's in real trouble now.

I'm amazed you think this has anything to do with the judges. It really isn't.
The show is so so tired. I don't think the audience care who's on the panel anymore. The production is appalling. Even the most basic and stupid of viewers are starting to see through the manipulation and scripting throughout the auditions through to the live shows.

I fully expect producers to have a whole new judging panel next year with Simon , some new 'twist' and expect all the viewers to come flooding back whilst they actually dwindle even further.

When you put acts like Honey and the chicken boys through to the live finals this is what happens. Its their own fault.

Well the show is pants, I abandoned it when the "biggest diva" thing happened.

The judges are as much part of the problem as anything else. They're either too senile or too lazy to even bother learning the names, ages and where the contestants hail from They all seem to think the most banal comments will do interwoven with occasional and over the top manipulation. I don't think there is another year I have actually felt so sorry for the acts. The new sob story should be just 'I am an X Factor contestant' I will be regularly humiliating myself for zilch return

It needs a total overhaul ditch all the judges ditch the fake joke acts they have Britains got talent for them ,ditch the sad stories get proper singers or bands on not ones made up by the show ,let them sing current songs not the same ,30 songs we get every year ,we all can see it's scripted and fake to make headlines but let the singers make the headlines for singing not being a made up rapper ,it's just boring now this series is easily the worse no act deserves to win a record contract the money they pay the judges is a joke there all has Beens need young current acts to judge

Time for a new shake up next year. Hopefully without Mrs. Scherzy, Sharon and Louis.

I know strictly is popular however I don't know anyone who watches it., well an ex work team mate he is over 60, ex brother in laws grand parents both over 80,

I know the above sounds very stereo typed but I don't know anyone younger who watches it but clearly people do

However X factor is still discussed less in the workplace these days.

All three have been a horrendous mistake as I knew they would be, particularly Walsh and Osbourne.

If Cheryl gives the nod she wants back next year scherzinger would be out anyway, likewise walsh and Osbourne would be out as well

I posted in a former thread, long time before these stupid liveshows started, that I missed Cheryl. With Nicole it's bit too much all about her. Shwhatever isn't funny anymore and with those other two people on the panel it's terrible.

The viewing figures aren't a surprise. The format of the show is now old and stale. It's clearly scripted and fixed. The show seems to be all about the egos of the judges and not about finding the next big singer as it's supposed to. Most people I know only watch it out of habit or because there's nothing else on. I don't think anybody really cares who wins anymore and this is the main reason why it's haemmoraging viewers. If the show can't work out a way to get people invested in it again then the final nail has already been put in its coffin.

Just one tiny issue with that, the overs! As we know more than one contestant in the overs category has won. The program is and always has been a family Saturday night entertainment program. I think the problem is the producers have lost the plot.

bib - i think thats a great point

whilst i dont necessarily agree with the people complaining that they sent all the good acts home before the live shows, who is good and who isn't is very subjective, but with the way the manipulate the airtime they give to contestants to create drama when they get sent home, i think they end up causing themselves problems

they seem to think that creating the drama of sending a favourite home gets them publicity and draws in viewers whereas what they are actually doing is pissing off people who have invested in those acts and giving them less reason to watch the lives

i know they have to avoid making it obvious who they are going to send thru so they can maintain some suspense and make the respective rounds more interesting, but they need to do it in such a way that doesn't alienate people that support acts they have given lots of airtime to and then send home

I remember when the panel was announced I said sub 6 million viewing figures would be the norm and I was hammered for it.

So much of this forum said Walsh and Osbourne would increase ratings

I think that last year's show with the relentless manipulation and pimping for The Angel Formerly Known As Louisa has essentially sealed it's ultimate fate.

When even my mum, who has traditionally been very dismissive when I've talked about the tactics they use to elevate some acts and denigrate others is rolling her eyes and pointing out how blatant the manipulation is, you know the producers have overplayed their hand.

The whole basis of viewer engagement for the show is 'ooh, who is going to win? I hope it's [insert name]'. If you take that away then you take away the audiences investment.

Louisa was the most talented act by miles last year , doing the same with Matt although the same can't be said

Well, I wasn't happy about this years Panel, because it was all a bit too odd for me. But on the other hand I have wished for better ratings because I still like this format.

Whether she was or wasn't is irrelevant to the show's woes. Take away the real competition element and you take away the audience's primary motivation to engage.

And it's even worse this year with the relentless pimping of Phoney G, with those imbeciles on the panel thinking she is the best thing since sliced bread and her social media segments just before she performs

I kind of feel sorry for the other acts (apart from Matt as he has already won this) as they have basically been pushed into the background while they shove the phoney in our faces

Add to the fact this year has basically fizzled out as we already know who is going to win by a landslide, just a matter of who is going to be in the final with Matt

I don't think it's entirely down to the judges. Although granted I think bringing back Sharon was a mistake. I'm glad they got rid of Cheryl. Her critiques consisted of "you smashed it" and I think Nicole is much better.

The show is tired, it's as others have said not even trying to hide the manipulation any more. And I think letting joke acts through to the live shows and giving them standing ovations isn't helping. The show is a shadow of its former self.

This.

This was the year The X Factor could have really reinvented itself. The best four judges back together with room auditions (and the best host), and they go and **** it all up with the 'jokes' out. Had they put through the very best in each category then people would tune in - and we could have had another Series 5 on our hands.

The show is run by idiots.

Turning it into the Nicole show doesn't help.

One of the reasons X Factor isn't getting the ratings is because it clashes with SCD. I sometimes turn over for X Factor when SCD has finished but often I don't bother.

I know a lot of people who record X Factor because they can't stand the constant ad breaks after every single performance.

It's just not Event TV any more. Even this forum is completely dead compared to how it used to be. Other than some mild like for Relley and Saara, does anyone really care?