X Factor fights back in the Strictly Come Dancing ratings battle as 8.81 million tune in to see nail-biting Judges' Houses episode
It's the nail-biting moment during which The X Factor wannabes found out who made it through to the live finals.
And the mounting tension and heart-stopping scenes helped the show fight back against Strictly Come Dancing to put the rivals on almost level pegging on Sunday night.
So far this year, BBC1's Strictly has been way ahead of the ITV singing contest when they have been screened on the same night.
They've got The X Factor: 8.81 million viewers tuned in to see Cheryl Fernandez-Versini put through Chloe-Jasmine Whichello, Lauren Platt and Stephanie Nala to the X Factor live finals
Bowing out: Meanwhile, 8.84 million fans tuned in to see Gregg Wallace become the first contestant to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing
But X Factor fought back on Sunday as the final 12 who go through to the live stages were revealed as the Judges' Houses section of the show drew to a close.Strictly was ahead by the narrowest of margins with 8.84 million, while ITV's programme drew 8.81 million, which included viewers of its catch-up +1 channel.
The X Factor was up 400,000 on the 8.4 million who tuned in for the equivalent episode last year and Strictly was also up for its first results show by 600,000 on 2013, when it was actually slightly behind in the ratings battle.
Here come the boys! Andrea Faustini, Paul Akister and Jake Quickenden represent the boys category, after being chosen by Melanie Brown
Over and out: Simon Cowell is in charge of Jay James, Fleur East and Ben Haenow in the Overs category
On Saturday night, Strictly - which saw MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace become the first to leave the show - had a commanding lead with an average audience of 8.8 million, to X Factor's 7.2 million.
During this weekend's X Factor, viewers saw sister duo Blonde Electric mysteriously change their name to Blonde Electra as they made it through to the final 12.
Along with quartet Only The Young and a yet-to-be-named eight-piece boy band, they will be mentored by Louis Walsh.
Team spirit: Blonde Electra, Only The Young and a yet-to-be-named eight-piece boy band will be mentored by Louis Walsh
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini chose to take through Lauren Platt, Chloe Jasmine and Stephanie Nala - who previously appeared with The Luminites in Britain's Got Talent - for her girls category.
Andrea Faustini, Paul Akister and Jake Quickenden represent the boys category, after being chosen by Melanie Brown, while Simon Cowell is in charge of Ben Haenow, Fleur East and Jay James in the Overs category.
Bookmaker William Hill has installed Italian Faustini as favourite to triumph in the contest at 2/1, with the unnamed boy band next at 5/1.
Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams said: 'Andrea is the stand-out act so far and will be very hard to beat.'
Waltzing off into the sunset: MasterChef star Gregg embraced his professional partner Aliona Vilani as they said goodbye to their stint on the show
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2782473/X-Factor-fights-Strictly-Come-Dancing-ratings-battle-8-81-million-tune-nail-biting-Judges-Houses-episode.html#ixzz3FPbYfw9l
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