Still not bad ratings for SCD considering the football match was on at the same time. I didn't really enjoy last night's show as it felt flat but next week is when it'll become interesting with the boys & girls going head to head.

Good ratings for X Factor. I think the addition of Cheryl Cole has given the show an added hype and more people are tuning in compared to previous years.

Yep. Also a lot of people have been saying that generally X Factor has been better than Strictly this year- some of the talent on TXF is very good; much better than last year.

Do people think that SCD will ultimately triumph over TXF?
I used to love both, however last night I realised just how bad some of the X Factor contestants have become. Meanwhile SCD goes from strength to strength.

No- I think this year's the year of the X. Next year, Strictly might come back and dominate like previous years/ But so far, there's been no indicatuion this year of SCD surpassing XF's ratings.

Let's not forget, though, that Strictly's ratings this year are the best ever!

You're right. But because X-Factor's are so good anything that SCD get's doesn't look as good in comparison even though these are the best figures SCD have seen.

I much prefered SCD last year but this year X factor is much better and rightfully deserves its top spot.
I hope SCD picks up when the females and males are mixed but at the moment im not liking it as much as previous years.

Watched X factor for the first time yesterday, can honestly say that I will not be repeating the experience any time soon. for me it is SCD all the way!

strictly has become a tired format this year, this might be due to the lack of personality within the contestents. this year X Factor has up'ed its game and the figures show this!

A lot of the reason SCD's ratings are the highest this year is due to the hype raised by last years show.

I temporarily lost my sanity and watched a chunk of X Factor last night. OMG- It is sooooo AWFUL!!!!

I thought that Peter kay's new show promo was an exaggeration of the graphics style- but No- that really is what it is like on X-Factor!!! Was OTT and silly!

also- many of the acts were mediocre. The judges responses were predictable and banal. The show wallows in shmatziness and vom inducing sentimentality...

I actually disagree with the concept of X Factor and the like. These show basically chews and splits out hopeful fame hungry young kids. It promises them the world and most often fails to deliver. For every Leona Lewis and Will Young theres 2 or 3 Steve Brooksteins. They are fed so much bullshit about how they will become a big star and when the public lose interest the bosses turn round and say "Tough luck kid-thats showbiz!"The only winners of X Factor are Simon, Louis and the other faceless record industry people who make a packet outta it. Young people who want to make it in showbiz are better off doing it the traditional way IMO.

With SCD the contestants have already acquired their fame elsewhere and come onto the show to learn a new skill.(most of em anyway!) The aim of the show is to win the competition- simple as that! No bullshit about riches ahead... and if as a result of doing the show peoples careers are boosted, so be it. SCD never promises to be any more than a dance competition...

A little one questioned survey for you all

Why do you think Strictly has fallen behind X Factor?
1. SCD is a tired format?
2. Scheduling?
3. Too many weeks before the couples dance together?
4. Other

Personally I think that its partly to do with the schduling (5:50 ) BBC probably thought SCD would keep its lead over XF regardless of the time slot, ITV have really treated XFactor as their top programme, which it is, and they have scheduled it sensibly.

I have enjoyed SCD more than TXF this year, so far.

I think the main appeal of SCD (for me anyway) is that we have a group of celebs who are dancing for fun and know it is not the 'be-all and end-all' of things. They treat it as a good fun competition where they get to learn to dance and have a laugh along the way. Whereas TXF is a more stricter competition where you have contestants who are desperate for the music career & fame and it can get a bit too much at times with all the emotions, sympathy and the desperation to win.

I am a fan of both shows but right now, SCD has the edge for me. But the ratings say otherwise.

4. Other

I feel this new found surge in popularity is down to Cheryl Cole. Last year Dannii joined but she didn't bring millions of viewers with her. So how do we make it work for 2008 they wondered? I feel it was a case of get someone young, talented and famous, tabloid hot property due to husbands alleged cheating and get her onto the screen in order to hype the pop factory to the limit. And it worked and then some…

I watched The X Factor last night and found the majority of the performances to be mediocre at best, two or three good singers mixed in of course.

I honestly don't think the show would be getting such figures had Sharon Osbourne remained on the panel.

I still feel Strictly has so much more class and isn't a tired format in my opinion. Without an England game to contend with next Saturday I would expect it’ll come back up over the 9m mark as all the dancers take to the floor head to head.

I like both I don't see why the figures for either show have to be compared - with the time slots this year not clashing it really doesnt mean anything

I think youve hit the nail on the head there!!

Mixing up the formula a bit on X factor has helped. I imagine SCD will do the same and replace at least one presenter next year...

I also dont really buy the early time slot- it was on as early as 5.50pm last year when it was much more successful...

I DO get annoyed that the BBC keep changing the time slots however- how can fans with busy lives keep remembering to catch the show when the times are up and down like a yo yo??!

I understand what you mean bendymixer, these shows are set to clash by 45 minutes next Saturday night which is quite a head to head for people who are interested in tv ratings.

Strictly will obviously iwn the head-to-head because it's got the advantage of starting earlier and having a big audience alreayd when the X Factor starts. But I wouldn't be suprised if TXF ends up with a higher average (or very similar).

I don't like it that the BBC are continuously switching the SCD timeslot. At least ITV are keeping XF around 7.30pm.

I would guess a lot of the moving around of the main show is down to positioning the solid Strictly building block for the channels Saturday schedule but it could also be down to the time needed to record the results show. The main performance show going out early means the phone lines closing at 9pm not 9.30pm and then the taping of the results happens a bit earlier so the audience in studio and Mr Forsyth are able to get home to bed a bit earlier too, sounds very likely to me...

I agree. I'm starting to become more excited about TXF than SCD .

For the sake of ratings, SCD should move to Sundays. Film the performances the night before, then 2 or 3 hours later actually have the results live. TXF now owns Saturdays. SCD doesn't because it is stripped across the weekend.

But Strictly was beating TXF last year in similar circumstances.

Sunday 12th October Overnights
20:15- Strictly Come Dancing Results: 7.37m (26.6%)

Third least watched results show since 2006. Took a big hit from Britain's Got The Pop Factor on Channel 4, which got 5.5m (20%).

changing the time slot every week doesn't help.

Why is the X-factor considered good this year? I watched it and cringed through most of it, some of them were laughably bad. The bloke singer on SCD would wipe the floor with all of them. Awful show.

From the BBC Press Office - Week 45

Saturday 1st November

Strictly Come Dancing
5.55pm - 7.20pm - BBC One

It’s the mid-way point of this series and only 10 couples remain to contest the title of Strictly Come Dancing champions. Live from BBC Television Centre, the celebrity couples perform in front of the studio audience to win the judges’ approval. Bruno Tonioli, Arlene Philips, Craig Revel Horwood and head judge Len Goodman score the couples before the public make their decision and vote. Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly present the extravaganza and, once again, the lowest scoring contestants will return to dance for their place in the competition in Sunday’s results show.

Sunday 26th October

Strictly Come Dancing: Results
8.15pm - 9.00pm - BBC One

Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly present the results from the sixth round of the celebrity ballroom dancing competition. Eleven celebrities danced a Viennese Waltz or a Paso Doble to win the public's votes, but as ever, the two couples with the lowest score will be placed in the firing line. At the mercy of the judges, each couple must dance again. Who will be saved, and who will be sent packing? Plus, Enrique performs his chart-topping hit, Hero.

So Bette Midler, Sugababes, Simply Red, Andrea Bocelli, Alesha Dixon and now Enrique on the results show...I would love to see Take That, Will Young and or Katherine Jenkins on this year too.

Boyzone may well be on the horizon also John Barrowman, Celine Dion, Il Divo, Anastacia, Cliff Richard, Russell Watson, Katie Melua, Josh Groban & Jason Donovan all have albums coming out in the next few weeks, wait and see I guess...