Friedman: 'Strictly should be glossier'

The X Factor's creative director Brian Friedman has claimed that Strictly Come Dancing would enjoy a ratings boost if it emulated its US counterpart Dancing With The Stars.

The BBC ballroom competition is currently losing out in its head-to-head battle with The X Factor on Saturday nights, sparking rumours of concern behind the scenes.

US-born Friedman told PA: "There's something about the American version which is not translating into the British version, and this is the version we had first. Somehow in America we've really managed to buff and shine the show, make it high gloss, it looks really expensive.

"The BBC needs to kick it in a little bit and make it a little bit glossy, like X Factor. But regardless if it looks poor or not, I would still watch it if I had time. I love ballroom dancers and I love the whole idea of taking celebrities and seeing if they're a complete train wreck or whether they can do really well."

Asked why Strictly is less popular than The X Factor, he commented: "Our show's better, that's the only reason I can think of."

The BBC recently decided to shift Strictly to an earlier timeslot, reducing its overlap with The X Factor.