As the days begin to shorten and the leaves start to fall, one thing is for sure, we've reached the annual peak for British prime-time TV. We survived the summer drought, when all there was to watch were Countdown repeats or reruns of our outdated favourites, waiting patiently for this year's Strictly contestants to be revealed or counting down the days until Paul Hollywood graces our screens once more...
We made it! And this year, the competition is fierce. The 2023 Strictly contestants are waltzing up a storm, with Bad Education star Layton Williams receiving four 9s in week 2 for his 'incredible' quickstep, already putting him in the Strictly history books. In the Bake-off tent, however, tensions are rising as 27-year-old Tasha took home the title of 'Star Baker' whilst Keith's dreams of baking stardom came crumbling down.
But which series are the British public most tuned in to this year? Statistic-wise Strictly has always racked up millions of viewers, with the 2021 final reaching a peak viewership of 11 million! However, ratings have dropped in the past two years, with the 2023 launch show only reaching 6.8 million viewers. Bake-off ratings have also dropped this year, with a peak of 4.9 million viewers so far, 300,000 less than the previous year.
Perhaps 2023 marks the downfall of prime-time British TV? Or maybe we're all too busy binge-watching the latest Netflix drama? Whatever the reason, there'll always be those who tune in to watch Strictly Come Dancing or the Great British Bake Off every single year.
For my family, it's always been Strictly. It's always been the ritual to clear our diaries every Saturday evening in anticipation of atrocious amounts of glitter and fake tan.
For my family, it's always been Strictly. It's always been the ritual to clear our diaries every Saturday evening in anticipation of atrocious amounts of glitter and fake tan. Even now that I'm at University, I count myself lucky to be living with other Strictly enthusiasts so I don't have to give up on my yearly tradition.
Though I can't deny the allure of baked goods and Paul's piercing blue eyes, watching Bake-Off has never become a tradition for me. I have friends who host Bake-off nights, inviting fellow bakers over. Whilst I'm tempted to join them and stuff my face with cake, I'll always be more excited for a night of sequins and dancing.
That's just my opinion. Which competition will you be tuning in to this year?
