X Factor final suffers worst ratings in show's history

The first part of this year's X Factor final pulled in the lowest ratings in the show's history, once again fueling speculation that the Simon Cowell touchstone has run its course.

Overnight figures for Saturday's show revealed that just 4.4 million viewers tuned in to watch finalists Grace Davies and boyband Rak-Su face off against one another, 1.1 million less than last year's finale – which previously ranked as the show's least-watched closer.

In a further humiliation, Strictly Come Dancing continues to woo viewers, with 9.9 million of them watching Saturday night's episode.

The figures fail to include viewers who tuned into The X Factor on ITV +1, while it did improve by 100,000 on the viewing figures for last week's semi-final, but it also marks yet another blow to what was at one point a venerable ITV institution.

ITV were forced to defend the show's performance last week, expressing in a statement that "ratings rise when consolidated viewing is factored in. The show performs well for younger audiences and it is an important part of ITV's autumn schedule."

Notorious X Factor villain and first series winner Steve Brookstein also joined in to celebrate the show's declining ratings... just as he did last year.

Without a Honey G, this year's X Factor has been curiously invisible when it comes to significant attention – leaving its recent winners struggling in the charts.

Matt Terry, crowned the show's 2016 champion, became the first X Factor winner to fail to get a Top 25 album, after his debut record Trouble entered the UK charts at 29. The show's 2015 winner Louisa Johnson has yet to release an album at all.