Strictly Comes Dancing Has It's Biggest Launch For Three Years After Ratings Triumph

WENN

The launch of Strictly Come Dancing last night (September 15) gave the BBC show it's biggest ratings for a launch show since 2009.

The fake tan and glitter made a triumphant return to telly screens yesterday as Brucie and Tess Daly kicked off the 2012 series. The first show in the series saw celeb contestants like Girls Aloud's Kimberley Walsh and Denise Van Outen matched to their professional partners.

According to the Belfast Telegraph an average of eight million viewers watched the launch show with a audience peak of 9.8 million. The figures make it Strictly's biggest series debut since 2009 when it pulled in 8.4 million viewers. Impressive!

Strictly Comes Dancing Has It's Biggest Launch For Three Years After Ratings Triumph

An average of 8 million viewers tuned in to see Victoria Pendleton's abs on the launch of 'Strictly Come Dancing' (WENN)

It was obvs a night for staying as the X Factor also saw a welcome boost to their ratings following weeks of disappointing figures. An average of 9 million viewers tuned in last night for the penultimate auditions show. 

The ITV show is still more than two million down on last year's figure at this stage of the contest though. Last Sunday's programme recorded the lowest audience for five years as it slipped below eight million viewers.  

We'll have to wait three weeks before 'Strictly' returns for the live shows to see which talent show will win the ratings battle this year!