Strictly Come Dancing returned with a record launch audience of nearly 9 million viewers as Simon Cowell’s The X Factor slipped further behind in the ratings.
The BBC1 dance show, featuring a line-up including Peter Andre, Kirsty Gallagher and Jeremy Vine, had 8.7 million viewers, a 41.7% share of the audience from 7.15pm on Saturday.
Now in its 13th series, it was Strictly’s biggest launch audience to date, ahead of the 8.4 million who watched last year – the first series without Bruce Forsyth as host – and the previous high of 8.5 million in 2013.
It once again had the better of ITV’s The X Factor, which was unable to reverse its ratings slump despite a high-profile revamp including the addition of Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora to its judging panel.
Saturday’s edition of The X Factor had 7.5 million viewers (34.5%), more than a million down on last year when it had 8.7 million viewers, a 41% share.
Sunday’s fourth outing for The X Factor had 7.1 million viewers (29.7%), a less precipitous decline of 500,000 viewers year on year. Back in 2014 the equivalent episode had 7.6 million viewers, a 27.9% share.
It was the first time Strictly and The X Factor have gone head to head after last week’s return of the ITV show had its lowest audience for a launch show in a decade.
Its audience of 7.6 million viewers was down from a high of 11.1 million for its return in 2010 when The X Factor was at the height of its popularity. That year’s final, won by Matt Cardle, was watched by a peak audience of nearly 20 million viewers.
But the ITV show has been losing viewers ever since, and this year is the third in a row that Strictly has beaten The X Factor in the ratings.
Despite its ratings decline, it still remains one of ITV’s most popular shows, along with another Cowell production, Britain’s Got Talent, I’ma Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! and its two soaps.
Asked whether The X Factor would bounce back to beat Strictly in this year’s ratings, Cowell has joked: “I’d hate to say yes, because I know what will happen if I say yes, it will come back and haunt me.
“This show does feel better, the talent’s great, they’re interesting, so if it’s us versus Peter Andre, I’m going to put my money on us.”
