Well a year has passed and its time again for the big head to head clash of the main terrestrial channels on Saturday nights as they get the big guns out, the Live studio editions of Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor. But who is gonna come out on top?
The X Factor has already been massive for ITV1, outrating the original series last year on recent Saturdays. But last years ratings winner Strictly can surely be expected to perform strongly again for BBC One in the months ahead.
When the overnights are available I will try and get them up here asap. If anybody gets them on Sundays please don't hesitate to post them up.

Let the battle for viewers begin!

I think it could be a case of history repeating itself in terms of ratings ie SCD 2005 beating X Factor 2005.

Pesonally given the choice of this years chosen contestants on XF, it'll be SCD for me all the way.

ITV were clever starting the X Factor early, getting the audience addicted to that in the hope they wouldn't switch across! However I think SCD will whoop it!!

I know where my loyalties lie!

Nat
xxx

That is true, last year X factor was on at 7 and SCD at 6.30 so SCD came out on top but this week X factor is on 6 and SCD at 6.30.

Hopeful SDC will improve it rating week on week like last year where X factor started on top but SCD over took it after the first 3 weeks.

Don't really think it's a fair comparison.
I watched both last night, main tv + portable.
Watched the dancing but listened to the x-factor, don't think I heard a word Brucie said! Why is there no repeat?
Download the performance? What about the comments!!!!

Didn't hear nicolas cause watchin Zoe & Ian, missed some of Darren cause listening to Phillip, didn't watch Gloria cause Shayne was on, didn't listen to Chico cause Siobhan was getting comments etc.

I'll be watching the x-factor itv repeat @ 4:30pm (it's later this year + no show on itv2)
There was nothing else on last night why can't they stop competing directly, it does my head in, there was nothing else on last night, ended up watching a DVD! :yawn:

I watched SCD and shall watch X factor on one of the many repeats it has on ITV2 and ITV1

Agreed Anita, but live is better, plus had money on evictions for x-factor.
I wouldn't be advertising on ITV during x-factor cause 1/2 the viewers will turn over to SDC.

1st X Factor - 7.55 million (38.5%)
2nd X Factor - 8.58 million (37.6%)

Ant & Dec - 7.13 million (32.7%)

1st SCD - 6.95 million (33.1%)
2nd SCD - 6.46 million (28.8%)

Thanks newcastle, can you get the overnights every week?

From BBC NEWS | Entertainment | TV and Radio | X Factor ratings beat BBC rival

The X Factor has beaten rival TV talent show Strictly Come Dancing by drawing an average of 7.5 million viewers.
The ITV1 show beat BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, which drew an average of seven million viewers to the first episode of its new series on Saturday.

The X Factor topped the ratings in its Saturday evening timeslot, watched by 38.5% of the available TV audience.

Last year's Strictly Come Dancing final attracted 10.6 million viewers, nearly one million more than The X Factor.

So The X Factor is the winner this week. Next week the results shows go head to head. That will be interesting to see the outcome of that!

It's inevitable that the X Factor will lead for a few weeks. It started at the perfect time, and even I'm too addicted to it now to give up on it.

Will be taping SCD, though...

I watch SCD as you don't get ad's, and it isn't repeated, and tape the X factor then quickly watch it in the middle of the two shows.

I rewatch it in it's entirity later.

Still think they are silly doing this as they would have more ratings without going head to head, and wouldn't pee off the public either.

Thanks to pad. for these figures, lets keep the ratings in this thread.

The X Factor topped Strictly Come Dancing for the 2nd week.

__The X Factor_____
6.15pm 8.1m 38%
9.05pm 8.3m 35%

__Strictly Come Dancing__
6.20pm 7m 33%
9.05pm 6.9m 30%

So round two goes to The X Factor and ITV1.

I really wish the BBC would be as committed to Strictly Come dancing as ITV is to the X-Factor.

You can barely watch ITV1 or 2 these days without a repeat showing of the X-Factor or one of its sister programmes.

The BBC don't even bother to repeat SCD once!

The strategy of starting X-Factor long before SCD is clearly working and although the programme is not a patch on SCD I fear that the BBC's typical inability to back its own success could leave the X-Factor in the lead.

I have emailed the BBC several times to campaign for repeats... there is plenty of airtime on BBC3 & 4 free.. of course I don't know the costs involved of repeats but surely it would be worth while. Maybe if everyone was to email the BBC they'd start to listen?

that is a good idea surely they can fit a repeat in on bbc 3 or 4 we have dance on this saturday and im gonna miss it !

I haven't seen the show live yet I have an aftershow Halloween party this Sat night too. I must remember to vote before then

BBC4 seem to be the more artsy channel though BBC3 sported the ITT programme the first series. (I didn't have digital TV then so I missed out on JLC). The Broadway series has been repeated at least once on BBC4 so I think a campaign is definitely called for!! the email adress to write to is:-
strictly@bbc.co.uk and info@bbc.co.uk (Send a copy to both I suggest!)

The BBC only really listen to themselves!!! Who cares if we are paying their wages!!!! People I know have emailed them loads about different things and they don't pay attention!!

Nat
xxx

I think both shows are value for money! I watch the X Factor live and tape SCD-- for the simple reason that I can fast forward the Brucie bits.

I reckon SCD is less likely to come out victorious this year. The X-Factor (which remains to be relentlessly dire) seems to have captured the public's imagination more than it did last year. It has people hooked already, it has the media coverage and it has the opening time slot.

SCD perhaps doesn't have quite the range of characters in this series. Slight over-kill on the whole dancing theme from the BBC may play a very small part too.

I hope we at least close the gap tonight.

I do hope that the gap closes between the shows.

Strictly is starting 30 mins earlier then The X Factor from next Saturday night so that should give the main show a boost as the only competition at that time comes from New You've Been Framed. Millionaire is back too so Casualty could increase its figures that were dented by Gameshow Marathon and X Factor recently, thus giving Strictly results a large inherited audience.

Will that all work out! Wait and see

What? It's going to clash with New You've Been Framed? That's it, bye bye SCD

What annoys me is that here in Scotland we have Gaelic programming on a Thursday at the time when ITT should be on. I don't mind the Gaelic programmes, but couldn't the BBC put a repeat on late at night or on BBC3? Even if it was on at three in the morning, at least i could catch up with the goss by recording it. I've emailed them about it but no reply as yet

Oh the irony! The only series WITHOUT Natasha Kaplinski and the viewing figures aren't that good! lol

I'm surprised ITV are risking it next week by starting later than SCD. I am a fully fledged X Factor fan but I guess it's only fair for the BBC that SCD will be getting the lead in this time. Good luck to both shows which are at least doing their jobs, entertaining the audience.

X Factor: 8.24m (37.5%)
X Factor Results: 9.03m (40.3%)

Ant & Dec: 7.96m (35.1%)

SCD: 7.56m (33.6%)
SCD Results: 6.85 (29.7%)

i think if the bbc could generate some press about darren gough, and flintoff going to the studio, then some more men might tune into SCD.
But for a show about ballroom dancing and sequins, it's not doing badly!