Will X Mark Britain’s Got Talent’s Spot?

TVNZ 1 has picked up the NZ rights to The X Factor UK and may air it in the same slot where Britain’s Got Talent has been a hit.

The network hasn’t confirmed where it will schedule X Factor but chances are it will be 7.00 Saturdays given Talent’s success at this hour.

At least it was rating strongly until the Lions started their NZ tour.

The June 10 broadcast averaged 6.6% of TVNZ 1’s target audience, 25-54 year-olds, and 10.2% of viewers 5+.

It won the first half-hour in both demographics but then lost to Sky’s rugby coverage.

The following week its ratings nearly halved to 3.6% of 25-54s and slipped to 8.2% of 5+ opposite Sky’s live rugby (which averaged 8.6% and 9.2% respectively).

Last week’s ratings rebounded to 4.4% of 25-54s and 8.4% of 5+ while the first Lions test scored 12.2% of the country and 7.3% of 25-54s.

Moreover, Prime’s delayed coverage of the match was huge for the channel, averaging 7.3% of 25-54s and 7.7% of 5+.

Despite Prime Rugby drawing more than seven times the 25-54 audience of Top Gear: The Races the previous week, TVNZ 1’s MasterChef Australia ratings improved, from 2.9% of 25-54s to 3.9%.

Since launching, Talent’s been a sturdy performer for TVNZ 1, dominating the free-to-air ratings (as has its culinary talent stablemate).

With the show now counting down to the final, X Factor would seen a natural successor.

While its UK ratings have halved since peaking in 2010, ITV has renewed the series for three more seasons.

A UK launch date for season 14 has yet to be announced but expect it to be later next month, with the producers promising “some big changes“.

Reported the Express last month: “The X Factor traditionally begins on the last Saturday of August and runs until December.

“ITV has not yet confirmed when the new series will start, but our best guess is that it will kick off on Saturday August 26.”