The X Factor vs. Strictly Come Dancing

On the surface, both competitions are quite different; while Strictly takes a mixture of middling celebrities and reinvigorates their career with months of gruelling dance training and performances, The X Factor plucks aspiring singers from obscurity and attempts to turn them into pop stars in front of millions each weekend. But despite their differences, both shows aim for Saturday night supremacy and the judges, press and their dedicated audiences are more than happy to fan the flames and turn the once light-hearted rivalry into all-out war. So who emerged victorious this year?

While the ghost of Arlene Phillips has successfully been exorcised from the Strictly ballroom, it was the X Factor judging panel who had to prove themselves. Simon Cowell’s abandonment of his multi-million pound brainchild to launch the American – and almost identical – version left everyone wondering how it’d survive and at the beginning, Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland, alongside old guard Louis Walsh, proved to be perfect Saturday night entertainment. But it didn’t last: smiles and backstage hugs were quickly replaced with on-camera bust ups, mysterious illnesses and bitchy comments while the production staff faced allegations of abusing unstable contestants, fixing results, too many adverts and abysmal styling.

Strictly may have had it sorted on the panel but on stage The X Factor continued to bring in some A-list pop stars, including Rihanna (who covered up but wore shoes decorated with expletives), Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and judge Rowland. The genuine star quality and high production values of The X Factor has always been enough to win the ratings battle but this year the constant controversies turned viewers off and across to The Beeb for Strictly’s very innocent and harmless, granny-friendly entertainment. Sure, people vented their annoyance with the silly skits on Twitter, but compared to the calculated singing competition it was a welcome relief and, much to Cowell’s chagrin, it soon started to show in the ratings. Even the show’s first winning group and the lure of Michael Bublé wasn’t enough to entice and The X Factor lost over 4 million viewers compared to last year’s finale.

While SCD took advantage of The X Factor’s falling fortunes, a million less viewers tuned in to see McFly’s Harry Judd crowned king of the Blackpool ballroom even though it gave viewers the chance to see Nancy Dell’Olio emerge from a coffin again. Despite that, 2011 was undoubtedly the year in which Strictly Come Dancing’s innocent fun beat the Cowell money-making machine.

Whose side are you on? Did The X Factor or Strictly come out on top this year? Let us know what you think by heading over to our Facebook page or Twitter feed (@TVOnVM) to let us know!