The Voice drowns out new BBC dance show in ratings battle

ITV took a lead in the fight for Saturday night viewer ratings with singing competition The Voice beating The Greatest Dancer, the BBC’s latest talent contest.

The new show, a first co-production for the corporation and Simon Cowell’s entertainment company Syco, lost out by 200,000 viewers.

The dance competition – which features Cheryl Tweedy, actor Matthew Morrison from the TV series Glee and Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse as judges – attracted 4.7million viewers in the prime 8pm slot.

The Voice, returning for an eighth series with its familiar revolving chairs and judging panel of Sir Tom Jones, Olly Murs, Jennifer Hudson and Will.i.am pulled in 4.9million viewers, not including those who watched later.

The BBC 1 show – aimed at attracting younger viewers – sees hopeful dancers audition in front of a studio mirror while a live audience and the judges watch via a video link.

If more than 75 per cent of the audience members are impressed, they can vote to open the mirror and allow the contestant to continue in front of them. The series winner, voted for by viewers, will get £50,000 and a chance to perform as a guest on Strictly later this year.