Strictly Come Dancing Proves Popular For BBC One

The return of Strictly Come Dancing proved a hit for BBC One on Saturday night, drawing in an average of 8.2 million adult viewers, a 39% audience share, in the 8pm timeslot.

The later edition of the celebrity ballroom dancing competition took 7.1 million adult viewers or a 35% audience share, with its nearest challenge coming from ITV1’s Afterlife, which was watched by almost 3.8 million adult viewers (19%).

ITV1’s X Factor, which saw the final contestants chosen, was watched by an average of 7.2 million adult viewers (a 34% audience share) between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

Earlier on the channel, Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway lured just over six million adult viewers on average (30%), whilst BBC One’s new series, Robin Hood, took a 37.5% share, watched by an average of 7.4 million adult viewers.

England’s 0-0 game against Macedonia, shown on BBC One from 4.30pm, took a 42% audience share, with 6.4 million adult viewers on average tuning in to see the disappointing performance.

ITV1’s one-off programme What We Did On Our Holiday, starring former Eastenders actor Shane Richie, just beat BBC One’s Jane Eyre in the 9pm slot. The second last part of the four-part Bronte drama and the ITV1 programme both drew an average of just over 5.8 million adult viewers, with BBC One gaining a 25% audience share and ITV1 taking 28%.

Coronation Street and The Royal also boosted ITV1, taking 8.5 million (39%) and 6.7 million (30%) adult viewers respectively. Five’s Birth Night Live managed an average of 1.5 million adult viewers, despite missing the opportunity to televise a natural birth live on air.

Meanwhile, The Match, which for the third time pitted ex footy legends against a variety of celebrities on Sky One, was watched by an average of 1.3 million adult viewers on Sunday evening.

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com