Another year has passed and the time has come for the Ratings Battle of the Autumn-Christmas television season.

Strictly 5 V The X Factor 4, its time for a new thread for the 4th year of the battle for viewers between these two giants of entertainment on a Saturday night.

BBC One against ITV1 [yet again]

October 6th is the first live Strictly show but this is technically an upcoming clash of sorts on September 29th.

Saturday 29th September 2007

Strictly Come Dancing

6:00pm - 7:00pm BBC One

A chance to catch up with the glitz, the glamour, backstage preparation and gossip for this year's show. Featuring your hosts Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly, past contestants and this year's celebrities, we get a sneak preview as they start on their journey of a lifetime.

The X Factor

6:05pm - 7:15pm ITV1

Part one of an X Factor double bill, as the cream of the crop from the audition stages are put through their paces at Bootcamp. Judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue will each mentor a group of singers in either the Boys, Girls, Groups or Over 25's category, but first they need to decide who will go through. With just 6 places available in each category, the pressure's on for the contestants to perform to the best of their ability.

The X Factor

8:30pm - 9:30pm ITV1

In part two of the X Factor Bootcamp double bill, the top 12 contestants in each category - Boys, Girls, Groups and Over 25s - must now perform on an even bigger stage and shine in one last performance before judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh make their final decision who will progress to the next round.

Roll on October 6th!

See they've started with the j word early this year

Come on BBC, surely you must realise by now that that word is banned!

Oh no! No more 'journeys' and 'rollercoaster rides' please! Although it is quite fun for everyone to collectively groan whenever they mention them.

Maybe it's just me, but I actually find the constant eye-rolling and "must not say the j-word" on DS more annoying than the word itself, over-used though it is.

The fact is that in a show like this you will get contestants who improve dramatically along the way. And the people who get to the end will almost certainly view their time as both a journey and a roller-coaster ride, because they have devoted a lot of time to it, come a long way, and probably had a few hiccups in the process.

Fair point, but it is overused. And anyway, the eye-rolling is only a bit of fun, in my house anyway.

I don't get annoyed when it's mentioned on DS (I didn't even know it was used a lot - maybe I should read more carefully!) It's only on the actual television that I think it's overused. And not just Strictly, most reality shows in fact!

I'll predict another close battle this year. Other than that let the battle comence.

I wonder if having Dermot as X Factor host will make any difference. I was not a Kate Thornton fan so if my beloved SCD didn't clash with it I would consider watching. Regardless, as you said, it'll be close.

From the BBC Press Office - Week 41

Strictly Come Dancing
Saturday 6 October
Time to be confirmed BBC ONE
www.bbc.co.uk/strictlycomedancing

BBC One puts the sparkle back into Saturday nights as Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly return to present the fabulous fifth series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Last year, former England cricketer Mark Ramprakash and his professional dance partner, Karen Hardy, were victorious, taking home the coveted trophy. This year's show looks set to be even more magnificent with 14 new contestants warming up for their first showdown on the ballroom floor.

Taking part are actress Stephanie Beacham; model, actress and TV presenter Kelly Brook; actress Letitia Dean; singer, songwriter and presenter Alesha Dixon; TV presenter Kate Garraway; model and photographer Penny Lancaster-Stewart; and TV presenter Gabby Logan.

Their male counterparts are TV presenter and ex-footballer John Barnes; actors Brian Capron and Matt Di Angelo; TV presenters Gethin Jones and Dominic Littlewood; former rugby player Kenny Logan; and snooker legend Willie Thorne.

Judges Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, Arlene Phillips and Bruno Tonioli also return to cast a professional eye over the competitors' performances.

In the first show, the boys will dance to stay in the competition, performing either a waltz or a cha-cha-cha whilst the girls remain safe and perform a group number.

From the off, the couples will face the public vote and, in week one, a male contestant will go. As in the previous series, all the proceeds from viewer voting go to BBC Children In Need.

Viewers who can't wait for the Saturday-night show can get their daily fix on BBC Two when Claudia Winkleman returns with Strictly Come Dancing – It Takes Two, bringing exclusive interviews, backstage gossip and footage from the training sessions.


We don't have the start time yet but Casualty is on from 9.05-9.55 and Match of the Day is at 10.30 so it'll be an early live launch show and results me thinks.
Last edited by bigbrother_eire : 21-09-2007 at 23:17

Should be close, but I think SCD will just edge it.

I agree - whilst I was never a fan - I get the feeling that the X factor has lost some of its popularity - just a feeling I get from listening to the "youngsters" and "ickle" people in my life

Mind you that LouisWalsh makes my teeth hurt

sorry just needed to rant

It looks like the BBC will be going for early SCD, followed by Robin Hood and the Lottery and then back to SCD for the results. I think there is a genuine buzz about this series, unlike the X factor, which really needs to find a genuine long term star to keep its credibility.

Saturday night needs strictly badly.

So its to be Saturday into Sunday for 2007!

Good idea, bad idea..we'll know soon enough

Saturday October 6th

Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
5:30pm - 6:45pm ITV1

Ant and Dec preside over more stunts, surprises and set-ups for members of the audience and viewers at home. Today, Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford take on the Geordie duo in Beat the Boys, Christopher Biggins is back as cupid to enable a viewer Grab the Ads with the help of Jayne Middlemiss, and the Jiggy bank is out and about with the promise of a five thousand-pound win for a lucky member of the public.

A Question of Sport
5:35pm - 6:15pm BBC One

Sue Barker asks the questions in the light-hearted sports quiz. Captains for this week's show are Matt Dawson and Jamie Redknapp. Joining them are John Barnes, Pat Cash, motorcycling star Neil Hodgson and cricketer Ashley Giles.

Strictly Come Dancing
6:15pm - 7:30pm BBC One

Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly host as 14 eager celebrities pair up with 14 professional dancers in another ballroom dancing extravaganza. The male celebrities, performing either a cha cha cha or a waltz, are Matt Di Angelo, John Barnes, Dominic Littlewood, Kenny Logan, Brian Capron, Gethin Jones and Willie Thorne, while this season's ladies are Kelly Brook, Alesha Dixon, Kate Garraway, Stephanie Beacham, Penny Lancaster-Stewart, Letitia Dean and Gabby Logan.

The X Factor
6:45pm - 7:45pm ITV1

Judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh decide which of the six remaining acts in each of their categories will make the grade, as the contenders makes the most of their final chance to prove their potential. Sharon, mentoring the girls category, is in Los Angeles, Louis has his over25s in his home town of Dublin, Dannii has flown the boys to Ibiza and Simon's groups are with him in Marbella.

Sunday October 7th (this is a first!)

The X Factor
5:15pm - 6:15pm ITV1

The X Factor hopefuls find out whether they've made the final twelve or are on their way home, as their respective mentors deliberate over who stays and who goes. Cameras capture the celebration of the winners and the disappointment of the losers, as jugdes Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue reveal which three acts in each category have made it through. Dermot O'Leary presents.

Bruce on Vegas
5:45pm - 6:45pm BBC One

Bruce Forsyth heads to Las Vegas, the 'Entertainment Capital of the World', in search of the stories behind such legendary entertainers as the Rat Pack, Elvis Presley, Liberace and many more.

Strictly Come Dancing
6:45pm - 7:35pm BBC One

Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly host as 14 eager celebrities pair up with 14 professional dancers in another ballroom dancing extravaganza.

The X Factor
6:45pm - 7:45pm ITV1

The X Factor hopefuls find out whether they've made the final twelve or are on their way home, as their respective mentors deliberate over who stays and who goes. Cameras capture the celebration of the winners and the disappointment of the losers, as jugdes Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue reveal which three acts in each category have made it through. Dermot O'Leary presents.


I honestly don't know whats going on anymore!!!

x factor is only on for the one sunday SCD is scheduled for sundays for the whole series

Regardless Sunday isn't Saturday, and thats where the Strictly results belong...

Oh my dayzz. Tommorow is the day, and I cannot wait.

Same, the streets are gonna be empty... well maybe not.

But still Im really excited.

I'll predict 7mil for tonights show with a 30% share.

That low?

It's up agianst TXF and theres no real dancing.

But saying that technically the last time SCD was on air there was 12.2mil viewers the last time TXF was on it had 8mil viewers so on paper Strictly should win.

I'm hoping a win for Strictly Come Dancing - best saturday night reality tv - it's another great line up this year - very entertaining - the X Factor has lost it's touch i think and last years Strictly final had 11.7m in overnights and 12.2m in the final rating and the X Factor only had 10.9m overnights
Go Strictly

I'm predicting

Strictly Come Dancing ( BBC1 6:00pm-7:00pm ) 7.7m
The X Factor (ITV1 6:05pm - 7:15pm ) 7.2m

I hope so to, TXF has lost the plot recently.

I'm watching Strictly live, of course. May look at the X factor repeat on Sunday...... but I get bored with it after the auditions stage.

Much the same, theres no great talent in the final 12 either.

SCD: 4.7mil

TXF 1: 6.8mil
TXF 2: 7.3mil