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'Strictly Come Dancing' Beats 'X Factor' In TV Ratings War

Guess Who Won The Ratings War
The Huffington Post UK/PA
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ITV

Strictly Come Dancing has stepped ahead of The X Factor as the shows clashed for the first time this year.

The BBC1 contest drew an average audience of 8.4 million for its launch programme last night, narrowly ahead of the 8.3 million (including viewers of the +1 catch-up channel) who watched the hour-long edition of its ITV rival.

Strictly's launch - which introduced the celebrities to their professional partners - was up 400,000 on the first show of last year.

RELATED: New Strictly Dancers Revealed (PICTURES)

ITV claimed the higher peak, with 9.5 million for X Factor while Strictly had 9.4 million.

However, the singing show had a big slump in its audience compared to the debut of the 2013 series last Saturday which pulled in 9.2 million.

It was also down on the second Saturday of the 2012 series with an average 400,000 fewer viewers tuning in last night.

Bookies had put Strictly as the favourite to pull in the bigger audience when the shows clashed for the first time, although the programmes overlapped for only ten minutes on Saturday.

Charlotte Moore, the controller of BBC1 was pleased with the launch figures and said: "Strictly is back. A brilliant show launched the new series with Sir Bruce, Tess and the judges all on top form last night, plus a line-up of contestants who are set to bring Saturday nights alive this autumn on BBC1."

> MORE: 15 Things We Learned Behind The Scenes At 'Strictly'

Strictly Come Dancing launch show
Strictly Come Dancing launch show(01 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(02 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(03 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(04 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(05 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(06 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(07 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(08 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(09 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(10 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(11 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(12 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(13 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(14 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(15 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(16 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing launch show(18 of25)
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Strictly Come Dancing line up
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(01 of16)
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Abbey ClancyAge: 27Best know for: Modelling and being married to England footballer Peter Crouch. She also presents fashion segments on 'This Morning'. Odds: 5/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(02 of16)
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Rachel RileyAge: 27Best known for: Taking over from Carol Vorderman as the letters and numbers whizz on 'Countdown'. Odds: 4/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(03 of16)
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Sophie Ellis-BextorAge: 34Best known for: Being a singer, with hits such as 'Murder On The Dance Floor' and 'If This Ain't Love'. She's also the daughter of former 'Blue Peter' presenter Janet Ellis. Odds: 6/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(04 of16)
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Vanessa FeltzAge: 51Best known for: Her 90s chat show 'Vanessa'. She now presents her own radio show on BBC London and Radio 2, and famously had a meltdown on 'Celebrity Big Brother' in 2001. Odds: 50/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(05 of16)
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Deborah MeadenAge: 54Best known for: Being a Dragon on BBC Two business show 'Dragons' Den'. Odds: 40/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(06 of16)
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Susanna ReidAge: 42Best known for: Presenting 'BBC Breakfast' with Bill Turnbull. She also appeared on a 'Children In Need' special of the show with fellow newsreaders in 2012. Odds: 8/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(07 of16)
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Natalie GumedeAge: 29Best known for: Playing husband beater Kirsty Soames on 'Coronation Street'. Odds: 6/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(08 of16)
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Fiona FullertonAge: 56Best known for: Her roles as Bond girl Pola Ivanova in 1985's 'A View to a Kill' and as Alice in 1972 film 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'.Odds: 20/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(09 of16)
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Ashley Taylor DawsonAge: 31Best known for: His role as Darren Osborne in Channel 4 soap 'Hollyoaks'. He also used to be in pop band allSTARS*.Odds: 10/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(10 of16)
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Ben CohenAge: 34Best known for: Being a rugby union player, and being a gay icon after establishing The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation to combat homophobia and bullying.Odds: 6/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(11 of16)
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Patrick RobinsonAge: 49Best known for: Playing Martin "Ash" Ashford on 'Casualty'.Odds: 20/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(12 of16)
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Julien MacdonaldAge: 42Best known for: Being a fashion designer, as well as having a famous spat with Cheryl Cole in 2011. Odds: 16/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(13 of16)
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Mark BentonAge: 47Best known for: Starring in 'Waterloo Road' as maths teacher Daniel 'Chalky' Chalk.Odds: 40/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(14 of16)
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Dave MyersAge: 56Best known for: Being one half of TV chef duo The Hairy Bikers. Odds: 50/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(15 of16)
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Tony JacklinAge: 69Best known for: Being an English pro golfer.Odds: 50/1 (credit:BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing line up 2013(16 of16)
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