X Factor ‘to air three nights a week’ in effort to beat Strictly Come Dancing

Last weekend, The X Factor lost out on the first ratings battle this year with Strictly Come Dancing – and bosses are not keen to let it happen again.

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by Jack White |
Published on

The launch of the BBC One dancing competition drew in millions more viewers than ITV's X Factor so Simon Cowell and show producers have reportedly come up with a plan.

For the first time ever, it is being considered that The X Factor will air three nights a week instead of two.

ITV aren't keen to lose out to BBC One's Strictly again
ITV aren't keen to lose out to BBC One's Strictly again

An ITV source told the Daily Star: "Boot Camp and Judges Houses are always longer shows, and this year we don't have the space to accommodate a long show on Sunday at these stages.

"So we have decided instead to strip the shows across three nights."

Head judge Simon, 54, took to Twitter to admit defeat, admitting that round one went to Strictly.

But while Simon was recently quoted as saying he doesn't want a ratings war, BBC insiders have pointed out that Strictly also airs on Friday evenings.

A channel insider said: "It's very odd as they claim they are doing everything they can to avoid clashes but are playing X Factor on a Friday night for the first time ever when Strictly's first live show has been on Fridays for years."

Last Sunday saw the X Factor lose out to Strictly by an average of 800,000 viewers.

Speaking at the X Factor launch, Simon said: "I don't worry about ratings. What we try to do is make a better show than them."

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