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| Reality TV show rivals pull in 20 million viewers |
| Written by Administrator | |
| Sunday, 18 December 2005 | |
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More than 20 million people tuned in to watch the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing battle ITV's The X Factor in the reality TV clash of the year.
England and Essex cricketer Darren Gough scooped the BBC1 dance title, while Mancunian Shayne Ward sang his way to a £1million record contract. Overnight viewing figures from the Broadcasters` Audience Research Board (BARB), released by the BBC, appeared to show the corporation slightly ahead of its reality rival. The first Strictly Come Dancing show, broadcast from 6.30pm, had an average audience of 10.4million viewers and a 41.5% audience share, rising to a 7.15pm peak of 10.9million. However, the BBC said ITV1`s X Factor from 6.40pm saw an average of 9.2million tune in, giving a 36.3% audience share, but with the same peak as BBC1 of 10.9million at 7.45pm. An X Factor spokesman, however, said their peak had been 11.8million for the main show and 48% share - nearly 1.5million up on last year. The BBC1 results show from 9.20pm saw an average of 10million tune in - a 38% audience share - hitting a peak of 10.5million at 9.45pm. Starting at 9.10pm, the Corporation said X Factor had an average of 9.3million and a 36% audience share, with a 9.30pm peak of 9.4million - but an X Factor spokesman said the peak had been 10.4million. And in the battle for peak time audiences, BBC1 revealed it had nosed ahead of its commercial rival with 34.3% compared to ITV1`s 32.2%. A Corporation spokesman said: "We are thrilled with the success of Strictly Come Dancing and the fact that viewers are so engaged with Saturday night television. "They were the winners last night." An X Factor spokesman said "We are delighted that over 20 million people were watching television last night." :: Bookmakers Coral said the "double whammy" of the wins by Shayne and Darren were expected to cost bookies more than £1million. And they announced Shayne was now favourite for the coveted Christmas number one, with Coral giving odds of 1-8 for the 21-year-old to take the charts by storm with his debut single, released on Wednesday. Coral spokesman David Stevens said: "Shayne had been favourite for X Factor since week one, while Darren had massive public support that saw his odds tumble from 20-1 to 2-1. "We`ll need a miracle to be spared a further payout when the Christmas chart is announced, with Shayne now the hottest favourite ever to take the top spot before the record is released," added Stevens. Coral`s odds on the Christmas number one are 1-8 Shayne Ward, 4-1 Nizlopi, 25-1 Westlife & Diana Ross, 40-1 The Pogues, and 50-1 James Blunt. Source |
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