More than a third of the population crowded around their televisions at the weekend to watch the finals of BBC1 hit Strictly Come Dancing and ITV rival The X Factor. They pulled in more than 21 million viewers between them, marking an unexpected renaissance for Saturday night television.The EastEnders actress Jill Halfpenny danced her way to victory on BBC1, while on ITV one-time pub singer Steve Brookstein picked up a £1m record contract.

But the real winners were the television executives celebrating the return of mass Saturday audiences after a decade in which they feared they had disappeared for good, due to the growth in digital channels and alternative entertainment.

Strictly Come Dancing, a revamped version of the classic ballroom dancing show now in its second series, won the ratings battle. Hosted by Bruce Forsyth, celebrities team up with professional dancers, with the pairs voted off by viewers week by week.

Unofficial ratings claimed Strictly Come Dancing's audience peaked at 11.2 million on Saturday as comic Julian Clary was voted off, leaving Halfpenny and athlete Denise Lewis to contest the final. The X Factor peaked at 9.9 million viewers.

Classical quartet G4 came second in the final instalment of the 16-week talent contest, which featured Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne as judges. The X Factor's success was not unexpected after the popularity of predecessors such as Popstars and Pop Idol, but the popularity of both shows is unusual.

Since Forsyth's heyday as the 1970s host of the Generation Game, which used to draw up to 22 million viewers, Saturday night television has faced steadily declining audiences.

The slide has quickened in the past decade, with BBC1 and ITV trying a range of ideas, from screening football at 7pm to versions of the National Lottery draw, to bring back audiences. The success of Strictly Come Dancing, in particular, has come as a surprise.

Last week, the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, described it as the sort of family entertainment the corporation should spend its money on.

Both broadcasters sought to make the most of their hit shows, with each getting two outings during the evening. The first Strictly Come Dancing show at 6.55pm averaged 9 million viewers, while the final at 8.40pm had 10.6 million.

ITV stretched the first edition of The X Factor over two hours, averaging 8.1 million viewers.

The key contrast with old variety shows was that the audience could affect the outcome. Seven million people voted during Strictly Come Dancing, raising £860,000 for Children in Need.

Broadcasters are increasingly looking to interactive services to boost revenues and ITV and Fremantle Media, the production company behind the show, will share a minimum of £5.25m as a result.

Brookstein's win means his first single, a cover of Phil Collins' Against All Odds, will hit the shops on December 20.

The success of Strictly Come Dancing has encouraged BBC executives to leaf back through yellowing copies of the Radio Times for more inspiration. The BBC's head of entertainment, Wayne Garvie, recently commissioned a pilot of an old style variety show for the new year and there will be two Strictly Come Dancing specials over Christmas, one on ice.

Source