Strictly stays step ahead of rival

The X Factor drew its smallest audience for a live show this series as Strictly Come Dancing was a step ahead once more.

The ITV1 singing contest had an average of 8.4 million tuning in (even including viewers on the catch-up +1 channel), which is 200,000 down on the previous week as viewers continue to drift away.

Strictly landed an average of 9.6 million, peaking at 10.8 million for a show which saw the first time the judges had given nine points to a dancer this series.

Olympic silver medallist Louis Smith also achieved the highest mark for a dance of the 2012 run as he picked up 35 marks for his zombie performance with partner Flavia Cacace.

X Factor's audiences are way down on last year when the equivalent show landed an audience of 9.6 million. And in comparison with the 2010 series - the last one featuring show boss Simon Cowelll - they have plummeted considerably.

Two years ago the X Factor audience at this stage of the contest was 12.2 million, showing the programme has shed almost four million viewers since Cowell left.

And Cowell has effectively ruled out a return by signing up last week for a third series of the US version of his show.

However despite being ahead on Saturday night, Strictly's audience has also slipped. Last year it averaged 10.2 million, and in 2010 it drew 10.4 million.