Strictly Come Dancing peaks with 10 million on Saturday

Strictly Come Dancing secured another ratings victory over The X Factor last night (October 18).



According to overnight figures, Strictly played to an average audience of 9.16 million (43.3%) on BBC One from 6.30pm, up from last week's average of 8.65 million (39.2%).

It peaked with 10.1 million viewers (45.6%) at 7.45pm, making it the highest-rated show of the series so far.

BBC One's evening continued with 4.6 million (20.1%) for Doctor Who at 8.25pm, 3.78 million (17.3%) for Casualty at 9.10pm and 3.51 million (25.8%) for Match of the Day at 10.30pm.

Over on ITV, The X Factor averaged 7.38 million (33.2%) from 8pm, peaking with 8.07 million around the 9pm mark.

A further 321k (1.7%) watched The X Factor on ITV+1, while 290k (1.8%) tuned in to The Xtra Factor on ITV2 at 10.20pm.

ITV's The Chase was earlier enjoyed by 3.08 million (14.7%) from 7pm.

Finally, X Factor judges Mel B and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini joined Steve Carell and David Attenborough on the returning Jonathan Ross Show, which secured 2.43 million (15.7%) at 10.20pm.

A repeat of Dad's Army was again BBC Two's highest-rated show of the evening, playing to 1.51 million (6.6%) at 8.30pm.

It was sandwiched between Penguins - Spy in the Huddle and Schama on Rembrandt: Masterpieces of the Late Years, which scored respective ratings of 810k (3.6%) and 740k (3.3%).

Channel 4's evening kicked off with 770k (3.3%) for Grand Designs at 8pm, while a showing of 2011 movie Fast Five appealed to 810k (4.3%).

Channel 5's movie picked up slightly higher ratings, with Clint Eastwood classic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly airing to 818k (5.1%).

Midsomer Murders was again Saturday's most popular multichannel show, averaging 895k (4.5%) on ITV3 from 9pm.