Strictly Come Dancing viewing figures has fallen short as The Traitors has become the BBC‘s most watched reality TV show.

In the first episode of the BBC murder mystery programme host by Claudia Winkleman, it attracted around 9.23 million viewers, according to The Sun.

That surpasses the 9.1 million total from last year’s live launch of the dance competition over the same timeframe.

Strictly, which is co-hosted by Claudia and Tess Daly, has long dominated BBC ratings, but the third season of The Traitors has now taken the lead.

The second episode was watched by 8.54 million in the first week, followed by 8.64 million watching the third episode.

The success of the series was unexpected for Claudia, who admitted feeling ‘totally terrified’ when launching the new show in December while still filming for Strictly. 

+10
View gallery

Strictly Come Dancing viewing figures has fallen short as The Traitors have become the BBC ‘s most watched reality TV show (pictured 2024 winners Chris McCausland and his pro partner Dianne Buswell)

+10
View gallery

The Traitors saw in the first episode of the programme host by Claudia Winkleman  around 9.23 million viewers, according to The Sun

She explained: ‘Even on Saturday I was talking about people’s cha-chas but in my head I’m thinking, will they like The Traitors?

‘You can’t possibly say it’s a phenomenon because it hasn’t gone out yet and I’m so superstitious.’

Viewers have eagerly embraced the explosive twists on this year’s The Traitors, while Strictly has struggled after it faced a string of scandals last year that shook the nation.

The latest season of Strictly saw Chris McCausland and his pro partner Dianne Buswell win the 2024’s champions after he history as the show’s first ever blind contestant.

Chris, 47, pipped fellow finalists Tasha Ghouri, JB Gill and Sarah Hadland to the post in the ‘best ever’ final.

The 2023 dance show peaked with a viewership of 9.7 million but last year it failed to attract as many fans, peaking at 9.3million viewers.

It’s previous average audience saw 8.8million dancing fans tune in to the BBC One show but last year it had fallen to 8.6million.

The news comes after the show got off to a slow start as well, with the first live show bringing in just 7.1million, down from 7.8million the year before.

+10
View gallery

Viewers have eagerly embraced the explosive twists on this year’s The Traitors

+10
View gallery

While Strictly has struggled after it faced a string of scandals last year that shook the nation

The drop in viewers tuning in echoed a similar dip for both its launch and first live shows, with almost one million tuning out for the former.

The BBC Latin and ballroom show returned screens in the Autumn amid a major scandal and a shock NTA win upon its 20th anniversary.

Throughout 2024, Strictly has been embroiled in a scandal which all started when Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington accused her partner Giovanni Pernice of bullying.

A months-long investigation was started up by the broadcaster, and the professional was not invited back onto this series.

Giovanni was cleared of ten out of Amanda’s 16 allegations when the BBC probe concluded in September but remained absent for the current edition of the series.

Despite bosses finding Giovanni was not threatening or physically abusive, it did uphold some of Amanda’s complaints of verbal bullying and harassment.

The BBC also agreed with Amanda at times he appeared to be giving her overly negative feedback.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for Giovanni said: ‘We are pleased that this six-month review has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour by Giovanni.’

+10
View gallery

Strictly Come Dancing suffered another blow amid year of scandal after ratings plummet for a third year in a row despite record breaking win for Chris McCausland

Graziano Di Prima was later sacked by the BBC following claims of gross misconduct towards his former partner Zara McDermott.

At the time, Graziano, 30, admitted to kicking Zara during their sessions and claimed that he her so frightened that she ‘locked herself in a toilet’.

Mark Borkowski, a spokesperson for Graziano, told BBC News: ‘There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right. And he knows that.

‘He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.’

Referring to the media reports, Mark added: ‘But he doesn’t recognise some of the issues surrounding it. The descriptions of what is being commented online, and how he remembers it, are not aligned.’

Upon its launch, the show received a major blow when viewing figures plummeted amid the scandals and pulled in more than a million less than usual.

+10
View gallery

The drop in viewers comes after a year of scandal for the hit BBC show which saw actress Amanda Abbington accuse her partner Giovanni Pernice of bullying

+10
View gallery

Later Graziano Di Prima was sacked by the BBC following claims of gross misconduct towards his former partner Zara McDermott (pictured in 2023)

+10
View gallery

Another small controversy arose earlier this year when Katya Jones, 35, pushing her partner Wynne Evan’s hand away from her during a live broadcast. (pictured)

Another small controversy arose earlier this year when Katya Jones pushing her partner Wynne Evan’s hand away from her during a live broadcast.

Appearing on spin-off series It Takes Two, Wynne admitted he had watched the footage of the incident back and confessed: ‘I can see how people may have misinterpreted it.’

Clinging to his arm, Katya said she ‘can’t bear’ the flack her co-star is getting and was empathetic that there was no wrongdoing.

She said: ‘The idea that it made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way is total nonsense, and those that have doubts, you guys have got it wrong. So hopefully this will be the end of it, and you just keep making me smile.’

She added: ‘I can’t sit here watching this man being portrayed as someone he’s not. In fact, it couldn’t be further away from the truth.

‘So I have to make this absolutely clear that this whole incident, with the hand and the high five on Saturday night, was an inside joke between Wynne and I. Was it a silly joke? Yes, was it a bad joke? Yes.’