X Factor ratings drop to their lowest EVER during Celebrity series as only 2.8 million are left watching first live show
The X Factor was hit by its lowest ever ratings on Saturday night as the new Celebrity series kicked off the first live show.
The ITV series recorded just 2.8 million viewers at one point, after a whopping 800,000 people switched off during the first live show.
Even with a 3.85 million peak, the ratings paled in comparison to the average viewing figures of 14.13 million that the show pulled in at its prime in 2010.
Plummeting figures: The X Factor was hit by its lowest ever ratings on Saturday night as the new Celebrity series kicked off the first live show
As viewers switched off in their thousands during the live X Factor: Celebrity show, the 2.8 million viewers marked the lowest ratings since the franchise began in 2004.
In comparison, X Factor’s longstanding rival Stictly Come Dancing, pulled in an average of 9 million people for its Halloween week.
X Factor viewing figures are expected to increase once the numbers for viewers watching on ITV hub, catch-up, and mobile devices are included.
Turning off: The ITV series recorded just 2.8 million viewers at one point, after a whopping 800,000 people switched off during the first live show
Tragic: In the new format, the results were shown during Saturday night’s live show, which ran for 140 minutes, and saw Olivia Olson axed from the series
The low ratings coincide with the news that Sunday episodes of the hit show have been scrapped for the first time.
X Factor boss Simon Cowell was facing humiliation in his battle to win the TV ratings war as it emerged the traditional secondary results show had been axed.
The move comes after years of declining viewing figures for ITV’s once flagship entertainment show as it competes against BBC juggernaut Strictly Come Dancing.
The X Factor results episode has aired on a Sunday for the past ten years and traditionally featured performances from chart-toppers before a sing-off to determine which act was going home.
Yet in the new format, the results were shown during Saturday night’s live show, which ran for 140 minutes.
Prime: Even with a 3.85m peak, the ratings paled in comparison to the average viewing figures of 14.13m that the show pulled in at its prime in 2010 when Matt Cardle won season seven with Dannii Minogue as his mentor
X Factor continues to remain the highest watched show on ITV for 16 to 34 year olds, however, the ratings blow will no doubt add fuel to growing speculation that ITV’s new head of entertainment, Katie Rawcliffe, is ready to pull the plug on the show after more than 15 years.
The executive – who began her TV career as a researcher on another talent show, Stars In Their Eyes – is said to favour a ‘kinder’ sort of television, away from the sometimes barbed comments for which The X Factor judges, including Cowell, have become known.
Katie is also not as close to Cowell as her predecessor, Siobhan Greene, who helped the mogul set up his Syco entertainment empire, which makes The X Factor, in 2003. She left ITV last month to set up her own production company,
Spooktacular! In comparison, X Factor’s longstanding rival Stictly Come Dancing, pulled in an average of 9 million people for its Halloween week
A source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Katie’s brief is to find new formats and new shows. She’s very bright and wants to modernise the entertainment on ITV’s schedule.
‘She is breaking up the old guard and looking forward to making her mark. Simon used to hold all the cards when it came to his deals, but now it isn’t such a one-way street.’
Simon has made no secret of the challenges facing the singing competition.
Earlier this year, he announced plans to revive his brand, saying: ‘We are not resting on our laurels. I would never want to sit and watch a show like The X Factor slowly fade away and fail.’
Soon to be over? X Factor continues to remain the highest watched show on ITV for 16 to 34 year olds, however, the ratings blow will no doubt add fuel to growing speculation that ITV’s new head of entertainment, Katie Rawcliffe, is ready to pull the plug
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