The X Factor still represents one of ITV1’s biggest shows of the year

Matthew Breen, head of video / vision account manager at MPG Media Contacts, on the latest X Factor series…

The first episode of the latest The X Factor series delivered a peak audience of 9.4 million adults, averaging 8.1 million adults over the 75 minute episode. This represented 39% share of all TV viewing across the time period.

When we look at the first episode of the 2011 series, which delivered a peak audience of 11.9 million adults, with an average of 10.3 million adults over a 60 minute episode, it is clear to see that viewing is lower YoY – with the average viewing being 21% lower.

Despite this fall in viewing, the audience size still represents one of ITV1’s biggest shows of the year so far, and the show maintains its status as one of the UKs juggernauts in Saturday night family entertainment.

So why have viewing figures fallen?

I would argue it is two-fold, the first being the weather. This weekend we saw scorching temperatures across the UK, which lasted all of Saturday. Hot weather typically has a detrimental impact of TV viewing, so must account for a proportion of the audience reduction.

In addition to this, I believe there were fewer people who actually knew the series was starting this weekend.  With such high viewing across the BBC this summer, arguably fewer people would have seen the on screen promos across ITV channels in the build up to the news series.

Read Newsline’s TV Overnights article here.