For the second year running the X Factor has lost the ratings war with the BBCs rival show Strictly Come Dancing.

Overnight viewing figures, released yesterday by the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board, show that a million more people watched Yorkshire and England cricketer Darren Gough dance to victory in the BBC’s graceful celebrity spectacle than tuned in to the climax of ITV’s brash talent show.

However, The X Factor attracted more votes than its BBC rival, receiving 10.8 million public votes to Strictly Come Dancing’s five million, possibly due to its younger, text-savvy audience.

I’d guess that ITV and the producers of the X Factor aren’t too worried though. After all 10.8 million votes makes Simon Cowell a very very rich man!