Bake Off topples Strictly in ratings and millions enjoy big Autumn dramas

In a dramatic reshuffling of the UK’s broadcast landscape, Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off has stunned the television industry by knocking BBC One’s flagship Strictly Come Dancing off its long-held throne as Britain’s most-watched TV show – excluding The Traitors that is.

According to the latest BARB official 7-day consolidated ratings for the week of 21 September to 27 September 2026, Bake Off pulled in an extraordinary 7.19 million viewers. Up by 250,000 on its previous broadcast, the tent-based baking phenomenon secured the coveted 1st-place position.

Meanwhile, Strictly Come Dancing slipped to 2nd place with 6.20 million viewers, down 230,000 from its previous outing. The drop comes amid mounting scrutiny for the BBC, with network executives facing intense public and internal pressure over their revamped presenting lineup as audiences turn off in droves.

Fans and TV critics are unanimous in their opinions that the new trio of presenters, Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdicombe does not work.

The latest figures reveal that Strictly Come Dancing pulled in 4.9 million viewers for its fifth episode in the 6.15pm–8.30pm slot. The slump follows a troubling start to the series, where just 4.8 million viewers tuned in for the first live show—a steep drop from the 6.2 million who watched the equivalent episode last year.

               TOP 10 UK TV PROGRAMMES (21–27 SEPT 2026)
+----+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------------+
| Pos| Programme                 | Channel   | +/- (m)  | 7-Day Rating   |
+----+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------------+
| 1st| The Great British Bake Off| Channel 4 | + 0.25m  | 7.19m          |
| 2nd| Strictly Come Dancing     | BBC One   | - 0.23m  | 6.20m          |
| 3rd| Ludwig                    | BBC One   | + 0.09m  | 5.91m          |
| 4th| The Blame                 | ITV 1     | + 0.64m  | 5.87m          |
| 5th| Coronation Street         | ITV 1     | + 0.14m  | 3.77m          |
| 6th| Antiques Roadshow         | BBC One   | + 0.10m  | 3.46m          |
| 7th| UEFA Nations League       | ITV 1     | New      | 3.37m          |
| 8th| Emmerdale                 | ITV 1     | + 0.23m  | 3.36m          |
| 9th| BBC News at Six           | BBC One   | + 0.01m  | 3.30m          |
| 10th| EastEnders               | BBC One   | - 0.15m  | 3.26m          |
+----+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------------+

Drama Rescues BBC One & ITV Soars

Despite the glitterball crisis, BBC One found solace in its drama department. David Mitchell-led detective drama Ludwig claimed 3rd place with 5.91 million viewers (+90,000), proving that viewer appetite for sharp, cerebral comedy-drama remains potent.

However, ITV 1 proved to be a formidable challenger, driven by explosive gains in original drama. The Blame surged up the charts to 4th spot, adding a staggering 640,000 viewers week-on-week to land at 5.87 million. The gripping courtroom/crime series has performed so well that executives are already reportedly fast-tracking negotiations for a second series.

ITV 1 also dominated the soap battleground. Coronation Street held steady in 5th place, commanding a strong 3.77 million viewers (+140,000) and comfortably beating out Emmerdale (8th with 3.36 million) and EastEnders (10th with 3.26 million, down 150,000).

The Celebrity Traitors, which launched after this period, is the UK’s most watched show attracting around ten million viewers per episode.

The Ratings Reality

Rounding out the top ten were BBC staple Antiques Roadshow in 6th place (3.46 million), ITV’s coverage of the UEFA Nations League entering fresh in 7th (3.37 million), and the BBC News at Six taking 9th spot (3.30 million).

While terrestrial broadcasting remains as competitive as ever, Channel 4’s triumph with Bake Off marks a watershed moment. With nearly a million viewers now separating 1st and 2nd place, all eyes will be on BBC One to see whether they can steady the ballroom ship or if the nation’s TV crown will remain firmly in the tent.

Ratings source: Ratings UK

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