Will be interesting to see if Emily "withdrawing" gives the X Factor more people tuning in to see what they say about it.

Last Night:

Strictly Come Dancing: 8.7 million
The X Factor Main Show: 7.8 million
The X Factor Results Show: 6.6 million

Woo good ratings.

Excellent

Excellant result

Strictly is dominating this year, wouldnt be surpirised if we saw the results show back before the semi-final.

great news

Hooray!

And Andrea Bocelli! I was so blown away by their performance last week that I bought his DVD!

Why are you remotely interested in the figures - just cos you prefer X Factor or SCD - does it really matter???

People HAVE to watch SCD live it isnt repeated - I like both shows (though this year X Factor contestants are weak) I watch the repeat for X Factor if SCD did the same repeats would be interesting to see which programme would win then just for curiosity

But really cant understand on this forum and x factor forum why these figs mean so much surely the only people they interest are ITV as they rely on figs for revenue and the Beeb doenst

Haven't you heard of a recorder (either DVD or VHS)?

Your right of course......but the higher ratings ensures Simon and his cohorts keep their mouths shut and don`t slag SCD off, which in previous years they have only been too happy to do.

wow what great rating, it might have helped it being on 45 minutes before the X Factor, people start watching SCD and then forget to turn over.

Ratings is the most important thing to the the TV organisations. ITV need them to generate ad revenue, the Beeb need them to help justify the licence fee. Ratings are the bottom line measure that make or sink careers, both in front of and behind the camera.

From a viewers perspective they are less important but they do illustrate success which means that the TV companies are more likely to be willing to invest in and perpetuate the show.

And as swymor said above, I must admit to a slight satisfaction in seeing Simon Cowell getting his proverbial kicked! The contrast between X-Factor and SCD is marked in my opinion. While they are both competitions, with judges marking and commenting on competitors, one is a cold, clinical exercise which takes delight in humiliation and the destruction of people's dreams, whereas the other other is a much warmer, friendlier, feel-good experience.

Some It Takes Two ratings from Barb.. w/e 21/10/07

STRICTLY COME DANCING - IT TAKES TWO (FRI 1831) 2.17
STRICTLY COME DANCING - IT TAKES TWO (MON 1830) 2.15
STRICTLY COME DANCING - IT TAKES TWO (TUE 1830) 1.98
STRICTLY COME DANCING - IT TAKES TWO (THU 1831) 1.85

No sign of Wednesday that week in the BBC Two Top 30...I think it was the day the show aired at 5.15 due to Sports..

Head-to-Head (18:45 - 19:15)
Strictly Come Dancing - 8.88m (41.9%)
The X Factor - 6.11m (26.0%)

Time - BBC1 - ITV1
17:45 - 6.99m - 3.78m
18:00 - 8.55m - 4.77m
18:15 - 8.89m - 5.16m
18:30 - 9.23m - 5.28m
18:45 - 9.15m - 5.82m
19:00 - 8.62m - 6.40m
19:15 - 4.81m - 8.58m
19:30 - 4.95m - 9.04m
19:45 - 5.29m - 9.07m
20:00 - 4.91m - 8.76m
20:15 - 6.27m - 6.48m
20:30 - 6.96m - 5.35m
20:45 - 6.10m - 6.17m
21:00 - 6.18m - 6.00m
21:15 - 6.46m - 6.24m
21:30 - 5.60m - 7.17m
21:45 - 4.89m - 4.95m
22:00 - 4.95m - 4.73m

Gosh, that's a substantial victory. 41.9% would give Gordon Brown an overall majority of 200+ in the house of commons!

Thanks for the figures, rzt.

This may seem like a very simplistic view but why the need to go head to head all the time?

If both channels need the ratings why dont they make sure they are not clashing with each other then the viewers could watch both and both would have higher ratings.

Time the BBC got over itself and concentrated on the programme itself and sorted out the bits which need attention they are in danger of losing the plot. ITV dont really have a plot to lose and Simon Cowell lost the plot a long time ago.

I dont think they were head to head this week. SCD was on an hour earlier then x factor as far as im aware?

Possibly, I dont watch X factor, but usually they seem to find it essential to go head to head. I was simply trying to point out that if they both need the ratings then avoiding conflicting with each other might be the obvious solution.

But I must apologise to the BBC and ITV for just pointing out the obvious.

Yep you said it........The highly paid bigwigs at ITV and The BBC insist on fighting for basically the same audience.Personally I would`t mind if both SCD shows were on a Sunday night.

It may seem to be the obvious thing to do but it would also be paying disrespect to a time honoured tradition.

As far back as I can remember, top rated shows have been ceremoniously pitted against each other in order to force the viewer to choose between them. There was a major setback for the TV companies in 1980 when the video recorder was introduced, but aside from that it's been a pretty consistant heritage.

Mind you, for me personally it's a no brainer anyway. I wouldn't watch X-factor if it was up against the test card.

From Media Guardian

Sunday Ratings

Strictly Come Dancing 8.3m 35%

Emmerdale 6.1m

im glad SCD seems to be winning the ratings! im always trying to convert people i know that are TXF viewers to watch SCD. the singers on SCD are far far better than those on TXF anyways so your gettin 2 for 1 in my opinion! good times

Last year SCD won on merit and ahem Mark Ramprakash. LOL.
This year no contest at all TXF is just purile rubbish...err not that I'm saying SCD is average or anything.
*thinks I'll stop whilst I'm ahead*