X Factor 2014 final is lowest-rated since 2004 with 9.2m

The 2014 final of The X Factor was the show's lowest-rated since its debut in 2004, overnight data reveals.



Ben Haenow's victory over Fleur East attracted an average audience of 9.22 million (35.2%) viewers at 8pm, with an added 125,000 (0.5%) tuning in on +1.

This is down by around 300k from last year's average overnight score, and is the lowest-rated final since 2004's launch series, which was seen by 8.1m viewers. Last night's episode peaked with an audience of 9.68m (35.9%) at around 9.15pm (144k/0.7% on +1).

It was beaten overall by BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing semi-final, which averaged 9.61m (38.3%) at 7.15pm.

The 2014 Sports Personality of the Year ceremony was up by around 300k from last year, grabbing 6.00m (23.9%) at 8pm.

Earlier, Countryfile appealed to 6.77m (31.2%) at 6.15pm, while Match of the Day 2 scored 2.24m (21.7%) at 10.45pm.

ITV's Christmas Catchphrase special entertained 3.99m (16.5%) at 7pm (170k/0.7%). On BBC Two, Mel Gibson comedy What Women Want appealed to 1.19m (4.6%) at 8pm.

On Channel 4, Britain's Wildest Weather 2014 interested 1.28m (5.0%) at 7.30pm (159k/0.6%), followed by Homeland with 1.47m (5.5%) at 9pm (217k/1.1%).

Channel 5's ABBA Years attracted 613k (2.4%) at 8pm, while a repeat of Michael Bublé's Christmas Special brought in 427k (1.6%) at 9pm.

ITV2's final edition of this series' The Xtra Factor was seen by 892k (4.6%) at 10pm (103k/1.0%).