The X Factor has won the Saturday night ratings war for the second week running.
Strictly Come Dancing was second again after scheduling saw it clash with the talent show for more than an hour.
The dance show closed the gap slightly with the difference in peak audiences falling from two million last week to 1.4 million on Saturday night.
The X Factor's audience peaked at 10.1 million, 40% of Saturday's television viewers, compared to 8.7 million (38%) for Strictly.
Strictly's peak audience was at 7.55pm, just before The X Factor started at 8pm.
The average audience for The X Factor, which is still in the preliminary stages of choosing finalists, was 8.9 million, 36% of those watching TV between 8pm and 9.15pm.
Strictly was left trailing one million viewers behind with an average of 7.9 million (33%).
An ITV spokesman said: "The X Factor performed particularly well with the younger audience, attracting 49% of the 16 to 34 demographic over the whole show, compared to 23% watching Strictly Come Dancing."
A BBC spokeswoman said: "We are very pleased that the Strictly Come Dancing audience has remained consistent with a peak of 8.7 million people tuning in.
"Alongside Merlin and the rest of Saturday evening's line up, BBC One is clearly providing viewers with a range of shows that they are enjoying right across the night."
The X Factor's second Bootcamp show airs on Sunday on UTV at 7.30pm.
© Press Association