‘Strictly Come Dancing’ ratings: Did BBC One benefit from ‘Call the Midwife’ presence?

We’ve written rather extensively over time about the ratings battle between “The X Factor” and “Strictly Come Dancing,” but at this point, it really does not seem like there is really much of a story here when it comes to this competition.

Instead, we think that the story this time around is based on the numbers themselves. Specifically, we’re talking at this point about how well the show fared even in comparison to past seasons. In total, the launch show featuring the celebrity pairings drew 8.7 million viewers, which is one of the biggest totals in years.

So how in the world does this happen? It is an interesting question, given that in some ways, this is for the most part the same show every single year. The only real difference comes when you start to think about the roster itself. Maybe there is something in the cast that has people excited? We’ve thought for a good while now, for example, that it was a super-smart move to include Helen George from “Call the Midwife” in the mix. That is one of the most-popular shows on British television, and she is a particularly well-known part of it. Add to that the other relatively-familiar names, and you’ve got a crew of people that viewers are invested in.

Ultimately, the show is just fine! Sometimes “The X Factor” does tend to get rather serious, and the reason that the dance competition ultimately wins out is because it is for the most part easy-to-watch, family entertainment.

If you do want to get some other news right now when it comes to George’s casting on the show, head over to the link here right now! Also, you can sign up to get some other TV news on everything we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: BBC.)