What do The Greatest Dancer's ratings *actually* mean?
Introducing a brand spanking new reality TV format is always a gamble.
But, birthed from the brain of Simon Cowell and fronted by a vivacious Strictly Come Dancing pro as well as Cheryl, The Greatest Dancer had a fighting chance.
Now we're a few weeks in, let's reflect on how well the show is actually performing.
Headlines would have you believe that The Greatest Dancer is losing viewers week after week, and has two leading women who are locked in a backstage feud. Cheryl was quick to debunk the latter, while also pointing out its sexist undertones, but what about the numbers?
There was a fixation on the ratings from the get-go, largely because the brand new BBC One dance competition debuted in the very same time slot as ITV's The Voice UK. Although The Greatest Dancer lost the 'battle' of the numbers, the difference was marginal, all things considered.
Both shows managed to pull in respectable numbers (via Huffington Post) but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the more established show that won out in the end. The Voice UK attracted 5.3 million viewers, while The Greatest Dancer pulled in 4.6 million. These were the instant overnight figures, not including catch-up services or repeats, but it gave a sense of viewer behaviour.
TGD's first episode certainly succeeded in getting viewers talking on social media. It gathered a mixed response; some felt frustrated by certain aspects of the format, while others heaped praise on dance captain Oti Mabuse's on-screen energy.
Related: The one thing that The Greatest Dancer has got wrong so far
By episode two there was a lot of jargon surrounding a ratings 'plummet', but what did it all actually mean?
The Greatest Dancer managed to attract 4.2 million viewers (via TellyMix), immediately suggesting that yes, viewers were turning away. However, as the show aired, the ratings grew to a peak of 4.8 million. Not too shabby, and kind of in-line with episode one.
But what about the the programme's primetime rival? Considering the hoo-ha that was made about comparisons one week prior, it followed that there'd be interest in how each fared once again. The Voice UK did draw in a bigger Saturday-night audience, with just under 5 million viewers tuning in, but their numbers were also down week-on-week, showing a trend that spanned both shows.
So how does The Greatest Dancer measure up to other BBC shows?
Well, if we cast our minds back to the time slot last year – hello, Casualty and Wedding Day Winners – then numbers are up, according to a TV source. The Greatest Dancer is therefore successfully pulling in bigger January figures for the channel.
While we're looking backwards, let's spare a quick moment to discuss the Strictly Come Dancing-shaped elephant in the room. This TV dance contest really hit the ground running when its first series landed, with a series average of 6.45 million.
Related: The Greatest Dancer's Cheryl reveals one big difference compared to time on The X Factor
There's not much that can really be drawn from this comparison though; Strictly first aired in May, while The Greatest Dancer kicked off in January, and we imagine that viewing patterns and habits have changed quite dramatically since 2004.
You only have to look at The X Factor to see that this much is true. The 18-year-old series has seen a rapid decline in ratings – approximately 3.7 million viewers tuned in for one 2018 episode, which was struck by technical issues.
But it is boasting a newfound focus on its growing younger audience, who consume the show in a very different way. The X Factor argues that its digital footprint (think catch-up, mobile and online) is still impressive, regardless of what the traditional ratings paint.
With all of that being said, The Greatest Dancer's ratings aren't as worrying as some speculation would have you believe.
And it's still early days, with the live shows due to kick off very soon, so we'll be watching this space.
The Greatest Dancer continues on Saturday night on BBC One.
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