There's a first time for everything! X Factor beats Strictly Come Dancing in ratings war
THEY'RE TWO of the most popular shows on the TV schedule, and it's been neck-and-neck for weeks - but X Factor won the ratings war this weekend.
The ITV talent show stepped ahead of rival Strictly Come Dancing last night for the first time this year.
Simon Cowell's show drew an average audience of 8.8 million while Strictly pulled in 8.5 million - just 300,000 viewers behind.
So far this year the BBC1 dance show has taken the lead, although it was by the narrowest of margins last Sunday with just 30,000 viewers in it.
Strictly was still in front for Saturday night's editions of the two shows - when they had an hour-long overlap - by an average of 400,000 viewers.
But X Factor tasted glory last night, when guest performers included Taylor Swift and Pharrell Williams, although the two results programmes were on at different times and had no clash.
ITV's show was the most-watched programme of the night, although it is down 700,000 viewers compared to the equivalent show for 2013.
Strictly's audience was up 200,000 for the show at this stage of the contest last year.
But, although it was a good evening for X Factor, talent show judge Louis Walsh wasn't having such a great night with two of his contestants booted out in the first week.
The 62-year-old Irish star maker, who helped Boyzone and Westlife top the charts, confessed in the run-up to last night’s double elimination that his time could be up at the end of the current series.
Sister act Blonde Electra and boy band Overload Generation were packing their bags after watching their dreams of stardom dashed during last night’s vote.