BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing final averaged more than 10 million viewers on Saturday night for Caroline Flack’s victory, putting the seal on another year of ratings dominance over ITV rival The X Factor.
However, Strictly was about 1 million down on last year’s final and the lowest for any climax to the long-running celebrity talent show since 2009.
The main edition of the Strictly final averaged 10.6 million viewers and a 46.4% share from 6.30pm; with the results show averaging 10.2 million and 42.8% from 8.50pm.
The X Factor final averaged just over 9 million viewers the previous weekend.
Last year’s Strictly final averaged 11.5 million and 48.1% for the main show and just under 11.5 million and 45.8% for the results edition.
Saturday’s climax to the show’s 12th series was the lowest-rating final since BBC presenter Chris Hollins won in 2009. Hollins’ win averaged 10.1 million viewers for the main show, and 10.3 million for the results.
The Strictly final is still in with a shout of beating the top-rating edition of the 2014 series so far when consolidated figures – including seven-day catch viewing on Sky+ and other digital recording devices – are published.
Strictly’s top-rating show so far this year is the 15 November edition, which averaged 10.3 million on live overnights, rising to 11.5 million for consolidated viewing.
However, Strictly looks unlikely to improve on its seventh spot in the top 10 rating UK shows of 2014, with an I’m a Celebrity outing from 16 November in sixth place, on 12 million viewers.
The other main channels were effectively taking a pre-Christmas breather on Saturday night, with repeats all round – including ITV’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (7pm: 3.2 million/13.9%), Channel 4’s Four Christmases (9.30pm: 0.9 million/4.6%) and Channel 5’s Scrooge (7.55pm: 800,000/3.3%).
George Clooney’s Downton turn for charity
Hollywood heart throb George Clooney’s appearance in a two-part Downton Abbey sketch during Friday’s ITV Text Santa charity telethon attracted 3.4 million viewers and a 19.8% share (in the quarter hour from 9.30pm) and 3.2 million and 20.7% (the following 15 minutes).
Overall, Text Santa came out on top in Friday night peaktime viewing, averaging 4.4 million and a 22.6% audience share from 8pm. Only, BBC1’s EastEnders, with a below par 5.5 million and 26.2% in the half hour from 8pm, proved more popular over Text Santa’s three hours 20 minutes running time.
The most popular segment came in the quarter hour from 9pm, when 5.5 million (25.7%) tuned in for second Guide Dogs charity film featuring Simon Cowell, leading into an I’m a Celebrity item with a choir and McBusted.
This year’s Text Santa raised its highest ever figure, £5,503,065, for six UK-based charities. In four years of fundraising, Text Santa has now raised more than £20.5m.
All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live, +1 (except for BBC channels) and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, or other – unless otherwise stated. Figures for BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated
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