[Toxic]

12.9 million viewers watched the final last night...that's over 4 million down on the 17 million who watched Matt win....and almost 6 million down on the 19 million who watched Joe Mcelderry win.

Wow, looks like they need to change some stuff...and FAST

[Niamh.]

Definitely. They need to stop trying to manipulate everything and actually let the public make up their own minds imo. Or else get some impartial and fair judges on there and let the mentors just mentor.

[Tom]

X Factor revolves too much around the judges which is fair enough but they need to have interesting and likeable characters like from series 5-7. Its no coincidence that the figures shot up when Cheryl Cole joined and plummeted when she left...

They also need to play each year by ear instead of casting this years female belter, this years 'unique' female, this years urban act, this years Jedward, this years cruise ship singer etc. It worked last year but it failed spectacularly this year

[Smithy]

That 6 million and 4 million down, were the peaks, I imagine the peak for this years will have been around 14 million, which isn't bad at all

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Jesus Christo

That 6 million and 4 million down, were the peaks, I imagine the peak for this years will have been around 14 million, which isn't bad at all

Peak was 15.3m, 4.2m down on last years 19.4m

More people watched most of the 2009/2010 regular results shows

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Jesus Christo

That 6 million and 4 million down, were the peaks, I imagine the peak for this years will have been around 14 million, which isn't bad at all

Also strictly beat the final of X Factor, they can't be happy about that

[Jordan.]

Their loss

I don't know why people complain about the judges either. I think they've been the best this year.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Tom

Peak was 15.3m, 4.2m down on last years 19.4m

Yes, Im sure ITV are devastated at these terrible ratings


Y'all overreact far too much , Mollie'll see these and will be thinking it won't be back next year

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Jesus Christo

Yes, Im sure ITV are devastated at these terrible ratings


Y'all overreact far too much , Mollie'll see these and will be thinking it won't be back next year

If it was a new show like The Voice the figures would be brilliant. But the show has been much bigger than it is. Its slipped from being the biggest show on TV by a huge margin to being beaten by SCD. 25% of the audience has vanished in a year, how is that a success?

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Jordan.

Their loss

I don't know why people complain about the judges either. I think they've been the best this year.

I would just prefer if they judges were impartial. If they want mentors get new ones or have judges just being mentors and get new judges. That's what I think anyway, I think the contestants deserve an impartial set of judges.

[Callum]

This is not good whichever way you look at it and I expect Simon Cowell to be very worried. 12.9m for the final is awful. The show needs a shake up next year or the ratings will just keep plummeting. The judging panel has not worked and the talent has been poor this year. SCD has beaten XF on most nights this year, something which would never have happened in previous years.

[Brother Leon]

Whatever way you sugarcoat it the Final was beaten by Strictly...Strictly as far as I know hardly ever beat X Factor never mind the final.

[Marc]

I still think that's an okay amount

[Locke.]

Does any other UK show even get better than 10 million? (other than X Factor and Strictly)

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Locke.

Does any other UK show even get better than 10 million? (other than X Factor and Strictly)

no

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Locke.

Does any other UK show even get better than 10 million? (other than X Factor and Strictly)

BGT, in fact this years final was only 400,000 viewers behind last nights X Factor final

For reality shows, Apprentice, Dancing on Ice and I'm a Celebrity get about 10m on the odd occasion

Eastenders, Corrie and Downton Abbey I think are the only non-reality shows that get over 10m viewers

[Toxic]

For those saying that Strictly beat X Factor last night are wrong, SCD pulled in 10.9 million viewers.

And it should be pointed out that the 19 million & 17 million viewers for the 2009/10 finals are the PEAK viewers, last night's final probably peaked at about 14/15 million..which isn't bad at all, but shows that viewership is down and something needs to be done (bring back Simon).

[Toxic]

I have just been told that the average audience was infact 13.1 million, not 12.9 million.

The peak audience for last night was 15.27 million.

[Tom4784]

Viewership numbers are falling across the board, people would rather record shows and watch them at their own pace now.

[Callum]

Originally Posted by Toxic

For those saying that Strictly beat X Factor last night are wrong, SCD pulled in 10.9 million viewers.

And it should be pointed out that the 19 million & 17 million viewers for the 2009/10 finals are the PEAK viewers, last night's final probably peaked at about 14/15 million..which isn't bad at all, but shows that viewership is down and something needs to be done (bring back Simon).

It didn't beat it last night but beat XF on most Saturday nights which I'm sure the producers aren't happy about. People think they can miss the Saturday show and just catch up with the Sunday episode, the Saturday show is not must see viewing like it was in previous years.

[Jords]

Ratings are still great at the end of the day

[robb]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

This is not good whichever way you look at it and I expect Simon Cowell to be very worried. 12.9m for the final is awful. The show needs a shake up next year or the ratings will just keep plummeting. The judging panel has not worked and the talent has been poor this year. SCD has beaten XF on most nights this year, something which would never have happened in previous years.

Agreed...though Strictly DID beat XF a few years ago, pre- Cole.
The problems this year were : 1. The judges. They seemed a breath of fresh air at first, but I SOON BEGAN TO TIRE OF THEM ALL. Tulisa regained some cred with her work with Pick and Mix (who deserved to win the final, btw). But the other three can go for me!
2.The acts. Too many, too many not good enough, too many underachievers, and too many unlikeable. It turned the public (and tv's) off.
3.The saturday/sunday shows. Sunday figures remained high because there were the guest 'stars' and the results in the sing off. Saturday WAS missable because the public didn't care about the acts like in previous years.
4. The show structure. TOO long, TOO contrived, and the formula is getting boring. Getting rid of 4 in the first week was a good idea though.....it cut out some of the crap! (Amelia apart).
5.The absence of Cowell and Cole (and even Dannii). Cowell should return, but I hope the other two don't. Times change......