Strictly Come Dancing’s return to screens has reportedly seen a dip in viewership, with the first live show’s ratings said to be the lowest since the series’ start.
The numbers reveal that Saturday’s live show peaked at 6.7million viewers, a drop from last year’s peak of 7.3m and significantly lower than the record-breaking 10.2m in 2020.
This downward trend over recent years has allegedly left the bosses of the reality dance competition feeling “worried”, despite the BBC maintaining that Strictly was Saturday’s most-watched programme.
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“The fact that the first live show saw a drop too will be of concern to them -particularly if the drop continues into next week, which is the first elimination show,” an insider said.
(Image: Guy Levy/BBC/PA)
Speaking to The Sun, they added: “They now face an anxious wait to see whether the drop in on-the-night viewers is made up for by an increase in fans watching Strictly on iPlayer, but those figures take days and weeks to compile.”
The source emphasised that it’s the live viewing figures that “really matter” to the corporation.
This slump in viewership comes after a period of upheaval for the show, following allegations of bullying. Both Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice have not returned to the series after accusations were levelled against them, sparking an internal investigation.
(Image: Guy Levy/BBC/PA)
This year’s Strictly Come Dancing has rolled out the red carpet for a star-studded cast, including ex-footballer Paul Merson and celebs like Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri and JLS heartthrob JB Gill, reports the Mirror.
But it wasn’t all sequins and shimmies as Pete Wicks faced a tough crowd with the judges after his week one Paso Doble with Jowita Przysta failed to impress, scraping together a measly score of 4, 5, 3 and 5 from the critical panel of Craig, Motsi, Shirley and Anton.
Meanwhile, Chris McCausland made telly history as Strictly’s first blind contestant, leaving viewers and judges utterly flabbergasted with his dazzling moves. The 47-year-old comic, partnered with pro Dianne Buswell, wowed everyone with his confident cha-cha across the dance floor.
Despite his show-stopping debut, Chris had earlier shared his jitters in a candid piece for The Telegraph, admitting he was “terrified” about how his blindness might affect his dancing chops on national telly.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
