As rzt says though, I think if it hadn't started so early the average figures would have been higher and might have topped the 12 million mark.

Brilliant rating anyway! I expect the Beeb are delighted.

What time did it start last year? And surely the results show (the one which would have ultimately have been the show to top XF's) had a brilliant slot so what time could it actually have started to make the figures any bigger than they were?

I'm not sure. However, it started at 5:50 pm which is very early. SCD's audience at 5:50 was apparently 8.20m; by 7:00 pm it seems to have hit 12.59m so i think it's clear that the early start lowered it's average. I guess a start of about 6:30 or even 6:15 would have improved it's rating considerably and a higher performance average rating might possibly have filtered through to the results show.

Still a fantastic result mind. And it's interesting to note that, whatever the truth of the matter, the genaral perception, certainly as reported in the press, is that SCD "trounced" the X-Factor in the ratings war again this year. Notwithstanding the fact that XF had slightly higher final ratings than SCD, that hardly mattered because the two shows were on at different times and indeed on different dates against different opposition.

The perception no doubt comes from the fact that the SCD series average was slightly higher than XF and also the fact that whenever the two shows went head-to-head, SCD invariably emerged victorious.

It's probably also true to say that the X Factor final had SCD to prop it up as I believe great many people watch both.

I also think the ratings were hit by Gethin getting the boot

LOL well it's very much a matter of opinion but I think "nancy" has something in her "flat final" thread, where she imagines a Gethin v. Kelly final. I think the ratings for that would have crashed the system!

I think it would be fair to compare the XFactor result show and SCD result show, as they both were on around the same time. And X Factor won that. I think, although SCD averaged higher throughout the series, the last few XF shows did generate a lot of interest, and so more people watched that than SCD.

Yep...were thinking outsid the box excuse wise now.

The lower then expected figures for last nights final are a suprise but on a whole the series has been the biggest yet and the strongest series ratings ever.

To quote Tess Daly 'We're gonna miss you'

Only too true! It only finished yesterday but already I'm missing the Sunday show!

These figures are now adjusted and on barb as follows:

STRICTLY COME DANCING (SAT 1809) 10.97m

THE X FACTOR (SAT 1914) 11.78m

THE X FACTOR RESULTS (SAT 2136) 12.23m

So over 500,000 added to the Final Result there and as many to the Strictly figure that night.

Thanks for posting those, bigbrother. I believe that the Barb figures include video replays. These carry less weight with TV executives because, if it's taped, this often means it's a second best choice. Plus, from the commercial channel's point of view, everyone fast forwards through the adverts!

The adjusted figures for the Strictly Final from barb are:

STRICTLY COME DANCING (SAT 1749) 11.23
STRICTLY COME DANCING (SAT 2127) 12.09