The primary stay present of Strictly Come Dancing graced the large display final night time, with celebrities and professionals delivering a sequence of epic performances.
However that's not the one factor the bosses are joyful about, as a result of the viewing figures are additionally promising, after initially declining on the night of the launch.
Final night time, Chris McCausland, Tasha Ghouri, Pete Wicks, Nick Knowles, Shayne Ward and Sarah Hadland took to the dance ground with their skilled companions.
Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke had been readily available to ship scathing criticism and the occasional glowing assessment. JLS star JB Gill topped the leaderboard with a good rating of 31 factors.
However his collaboration with Amy isn't the one factor that took off on Saturday. Viewer rankings additionally rose by a whopping a million in comparison with final week.
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Because the BBC confirmed to Metro.co.uk, Strictly, which aired from 7pm to 9.30pm, attracted a median of 6.4 million viewers final night time.
The present peaked at 6.6 million viewers.
Maybe much more spectacular is that the movie had an enormous 49.4% market share of the viewers.
The numbers are certain to rise within the coming days as Strictly fanatics can re-watch the sequence through BBC iPlayer.
This comes after Strictly's launch present fell by nearly one million viewers in 2024 in comparison with 2023.
A mean of 5.5 million viewers watched the BBC One programme on 14 September. The present resumed broadcasting after a wave of controversy surrounding sacked skilled dancers who had been compelled to disclaim allegations of misconduct throughout coaching.
It’s notable, nonetheless, that these in a single day figures have fluctuated through the years and that increasingly individuals are watching on-demand, which isn’t included within the authentic figures.
A mean of 5.4 million individuals watched the 2022 launch, and the pre-recorded launch present in 2021 attracted seven million viewers.
As for the primary stay present of 2023, the viewing figures had been decrease than in 2022, however they had been nonetheless larger than this 12 months's.
Final fall, 6.6 million viewers, in comparison with 6.8 million in 2022 and seven.9 million in 2021, watched the forged take their first steps.
It was little doubt a aid for the 2024 batch: there was no public vote this weekend. Which means everybody shall be dancing once more subsequent weekend, with the judges’ scores tallied and the dreaded dance-off ending one couple’s Strictly journey.
After their first dance, Tasha, one of many Love Islanders, is the brand new favorite. Bookmakers predict that she is going to play a starring function as a consequence of her spectacular cha-cha-cha.
She and returning professional Aljaz Skorjanec had been awarded 30 factors by the panel, with Shirley telling Tasha: “You're in your technique to one of the crucial spectacular leg strikes I've ever seen on the present.”
In the meantime, Toyah Willcox appears to be in hassle, scoring simply 12 factors for her tango and now finds herself on the backside of the rankings.
Becoming a member of her within the hazard zone had been Paul Merson and Towie's Pete, who each scored 17 factors for his or her American clean and paso doble respectively.
The star of the night, nonetheless, was undoubtedly comic Chris, who made historical past because the present's first ever blind contestant.
Partnering with Australian professional Dianne Buswell, the much-loved Scouser carried out his cha cha cha on Twist And Shout, incomes him 23 factors.
Decide Anton stated: 'It was one of the crucial extraordinary issues I’ve ever seen in my life.'
Shirley added: 'I'm fairly shocked and really emotional – superb.'
Viewers have already taken the TV star to their hearts and are eager to go with him as soon as once more, with Chris dismissing resident Mr. Nasty Craig's criticism with the phrases: 'I'm too drained to care, mate!'
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“I'll take you dwelling tonight,” he added with a smile.
He wasn't the one one who reacted strongly to the panel final night time. Podcaster Pete additionally lashed out at Anton, criticizing his timing.
“I’ve acquired no rhythm, mate!” Pete declared, prompting Strictly viewers to count on fireworks within the coming weeks…
Strictly Come Dancing returns subsequent Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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