IAN HYLAND

on the weekend’s telly

The Greatest Dancer, BBC1: ★★★

Even though there is an obvious dearth of Saturday night entertainment shows in BBC1’s locker, I was still a bit surprised by Jordan Banjo’s big announcement at the weekend.

Minutes after 14-year-old Ellie Fergusson had been told – in the offstage holding pen, bizarrely – that she had won the first series of The Greatest Dancer, Jordan broke news to make Alan Partridge weep: the BBC had given them a second series.

Jordan’s face was a picture. He looked like he couldn’t quite comprehend what his script was telling him – although, to be fair, he’d worn that look quite a lot through the series. Without wishing to rain on their parade, right here is where Simon Cowell and his team start paying for their money-spinning second chance – in sweat.

If this show is to become a Saturday night staple deserving of a Strictly Come Dancing tie-up, it needs to raise two things. Its ratings and its game. Finding a way to stop the final resembling a dance version of Minipops – Minibops, anyone? – should be near the top of the to-do list. Its biggest flaw though was exposed in the full glare of Saturday’s final. Oti Mabuse is by far the best of the three captains - to the point of embarrassment of the other two, Cheryl née Tweedy and that grumpy bloke from Glee.

There was no doubt Ellie deserved to win - and she certainly won’t look out of place when she performs on Strictly later this year as part of her prize.

Would she have won with Cheryl or the Glee fella as her mentor though?

I’m not so sure.

The show needs to raise two things. Its ratings and its game