BBC to boost Strictly Come Dancing spending to compete with X Factor

By Neil Midgley Published: 11:53AM GMT 04 March 2010

Strictly Come Dancing presenters Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly Photo: BBC

Director ubiquitous Mark Thompson admitted, In the BBC plan inform published progressing this week, dhat ITVs party blockbusters "continue to yield a acquire and successful plea to the BBC".

It can right away be disclosed that, though the BBC has not nonetheless finalised the bill for the subsequent run of Strictly, it will be a poignant enlarge on last years outlay of about �400,000 a week.

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BBC management team secretly recognize the need to outlay sufficient to capture honestly important celebrities to the competition. Last year, Richard Madeley and Sharon Osbourne were both rumoured to be interested, but conjunction of them finished up looming on the show.

The enlarge to Strictlys bill does not technically form piece of the changes summarized in Mr Thompsons report, that will not be rigourously authorized by the BBC Trust until after this year. However the inform outlines an demonstrate approval that viewers right away design Saturday night party shows with the "level of ambition" of ITVs most appropriate output.

Mr Thompson certified on Tuesday that "the BBC needs to go on to modernise and ascent the programmes if it is to keep up with the best".

His comments come after an accident-prone run of Strictly late last year, that was stubborn by problems together with the without a friend sacking of decider Arlene Phillips, a hilly accepting for her deputy Alesha Dixon, an haphazard opening by host Bruce Forsyth and a choice of "celebrities" - together with the contingent winner, breakfast TV sports presenter Chris Hollins - whose claims to celebrity were problematic even by being show standards.

At the press launch of last years array of Strictly, Mr Forsyth mounted a energetic counterclaim of the shows ratings opening opposite The X Factor the prior year. However the 2009 run went on to be soundly knocked about by the Simon Cowell show, mostly by as most as 2million viewers when the dual shows were on-air head to head.

ITV reputedly outlayed as most as �5million some-more on The X Factor last year, construction a intemperate new set for the live shows and party the intial auditions - formerly hold in medium discussion bedrooms - at locus venues in front of audiences multiform thousand strong.

If the Trust approves Mr Thompsons proposals, BBC management team will concentration on perplexing to find the subsequent era of party shows that have the scale to "draw the republic together", seeking over bent show formats with a judging row and an rejecting vote.

BBC One controller Jay Hunt is additionally set to recommission So You Think You Can Dance, presumably with a longer run to concede for some-more try-out shows, as well as the successful diversion show Total Wipeout. BBC Ones stream dance show, Lets Dance for Sport Relief, captivated over 6million viewers last Saturday.