BBC denies surrender in the Strictly X Factor war

Friday, 23rd October 2009. By Dave Harland

Strictly Come Dancing will move to an earlier Saturday evening time slot from October 31 but BBC bosses have rubbished claims they’ve thrown in the towel in the prime time ratings war with X Factor.

The two hit reality TV programmes have been grappling for viewers for the past couple of months due to the programmes overlapping for over an hour each weekend.

X Factor have been winning the battle hands down although Strictly chiefs have denied that a planned change of broadcast time from 7pm to 6.50pm is to win more viewers from their rivals whose programme begins at 8pm.

A BBC spokesman said the time change is to fit in impressionist Jon Culshaw’s The New Impressions Show.

He added that Strictly is a “key part of our Saturday line-up”, but X Factor supremo Simon Cowell thinks they should face off fair and square.

He told the Daily Mail: “I don’t even think there are any other shows people are passionate about right now - and it’s crazy that they’re up against each other.

“So the most logical thing is to put both shows on at times when the public can enjoy both.

“The BBC has done this scheduling to create a ratings battle. I don’t know who would win - and I don’t particularly care.”

He must have had more than a wry smile though when it was revealed that the X Factor drew its biggest-ever audience last Sunday with a whopping 14.8million tuning in to see Cheryl Cole and Whitney Houston perform.