The X Factor 2018

With over exaggerated sob stories?

Ah, like a large chunk of the British viewing public, I've not watched for ages...

Audience ratings last night for X Factor was pathetic - 4.2 million, whereas the recorded Strictly results pulled in a whopping slightly over 9 million.


Even Dr Who stable at around 6.4 million.

Louis Walsh, still has the balls to slam Strictly - does this man always have to kiss Simon Cowell's ass, even when he is not on Simon's show? Louis still has the blinkers on, and is stuck in the looped "Strictly has the older audience, that is why they have bigger ratings" bull crap. That is lies, there are a large chunk of the younger population who have abandoned X Factor in 2018.

I used to watch X Factor but it has become too insincere and repetitive. When you tune in it's just the same thing again and again year after year... and as a lot of people say it has become a tired format.

I never got into Strictly. It might be because we don't really do ballroom dancing in Ireland maybe but never found compelled to watch.

What has struck me is the way the show actively grasps for relevance. Gone are the days when there would be critique(ish), now contestants are being actively told how 'important they are for this show'. We shouldn't need to be told how 'important' this all is. People used to just think the show was through the spectacle of it all.

Without copying other formats I don’t know how they can change the show to improve it.

Do we know what the plans are for Robbie’s absence? As I understand it after this coming weekend he’s touring in South America and will miss 2 XF weekends?

Guest judge or live via satellite?

Well originally it was Mrs O. Wouldn't be surprised if Louis turned up.

The only solution I could think of would be to create a British version of Melodifestivalen, except it's a talent show in its own right, not a Eurovision national final.

Run the auditions, 6 chair etc. but then have three heats of 6 with two from three categories (unders, overs, groups) going through to the final and two more going to Second Chance.

Then 8 compete in the final.

Obviously like MF this would tour stadiums, or maybe large theatres.

All reality and talent shows have an ask-by date. And, IMHO, XF passed its ask-by date several years ago.

Simon almost certainly wants to keep it going for as long as he possibly can, though. And it's not unlikely that ITV feel that they would have a very hard time coming up with a successful replacement for it - after all, they had a very time coming up with a successful replacement for Dancing on Ice, a task which ultimately ended in failure.

BGT does still feel that bit fresher than XF - but, again, Simon almost certainly wants to keep this show going for as long as possible, and ITV quite likely feel that successfully replacing it would be a task almost beyond them.

Meanwhile, even though Strictly is once again out-rating XF handsomely, I find myself wondering if *that* show could be approaching its ask-by date. Or is that just because I'm finding it harder than usual to get into it this year - because of who's taking part, because Brendan isn't there, and also because of "Kissgate"?

Strictly had a wobble a while back, when ratings dipped and X Factor beat it. However they amped up the production values, made the show feel fresher, and I have a feeling that Brucie retiring and Claudia joining the main show gave it a bit of a refresh (as did the move to Elstree). Strictly doesn't take itself so seriously - it has a huge sense of fun. In comparison X Factor still appears to think it's in some way important or relevant (even with a fantastic presenter like Dermot doing his best to puncture that a bit)... For me Strictly is a much more comfortable watch.

Also this series has, I think, demonstrated that you don't need a cast of A-list celebrities to make the show a success. You need people who are warm and making the most of the experience. It's a cliche, but some of the not-that-well-known celebrities (Joe Sugg, Dr Ranj, Graham Swann etc.) are having great 'journeys'. Arguably the pro dancers are as big, if not bigger, celebrities than their celebrity partners in many cases, allowing Strictly fans to have 'their favourite' professionals...

It's also worth noting that tweaks to Strictly have in general been more subtle than with The X Factor. A notable change this series is the introduction of a 'couples choice' dance from a short-list of three styles which are new to Strictly, and in my opinion helps to keep the show feel fresh. The panel of judges have changed relatively little over the years compared to The X Factor, helping to provide some consistency.