Strictly Come Dancing beats The X Factor in the ratings as more than nine million tune in for launch show
STRICTLY Come Dancing triumphed in the ratings against The X Factor last night.
The BBC One dancing show returned for it's annual launch show on Saturday to pair the new batch of celebrities with their professional partners.
More than nine million tuned in to see the show, which featured a touching tribute to the late Sir Bruce Forsyth following his death last month.
Strictly hit 9.4 million just minutes before The X Factor began, with the ITV show then going on to secure over six million viewers.
Strictly fans got to see the likes of Ruth Langsford paired with Anton Du Beke and former Emmerdale actress Gemma Atkinson with Aljaz Skorjanec.
Gemma Atkinson squealed with delight when she was paired with hunky Aljaz Skorjanec.
Running towards him during the launch show, she told Tess Daly that having the handsome Slovenian as a partner was "every girl's dream".
Aljaz recently married fellow pro Janette Manrara, which puts an end to Gemma's hopes of finding love on the show.
Over on The X Factor, viewers were touched to see host Dermot O'Leary well up in tears after singer Nathan Sailsman failed to get enough yes' from the judges.
The father-of-one came agonisingly close to reaching the boot camp phase but Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh didn't think he was ready to go any further.
Dermot held Nathan's young daughter as he watched the audition on a screen and he fought to hold his emotions when Simon delivered the bad news.
It was Nathan's second chance in front of the judges after performing Robbie Williams' Angels earlier in the day.
Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger gave him the benefit of the doubt but with Louis saying no, Simon decided to ask him to come back with another song.
He returned and sang Heaven but it wasn't enough to convince the panel.
Louis told him: "I liked half of the song and then you were oversinging. I like you. I just don't think you're ready. I have to say no.
Simon added: "Nathan you're a very nice guy. I like you a lot. I'm going to be honest with you.
"You're not ready with your voice in terms of a recording contract and I don't want to give you any false hope.
As Nathan left the room Simon told the judges: "That doesn't feel good. I don't want to give him false hope."
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