Saturday night is strictly Strictly night

(Guy Levy/BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing is to abandon its Sunday night results show in favour of an extended Saturday night programme, it was announced today.

Couples will compete, face the public vote and have the dance-off all in a single show as the BBC attempts to make Saturday night "Strictly night".

It is understood that part of the reason for the change is the desire to avoid a possible clash with the X Factor results show, which may be shown on Sundays this year.

A source said: "It's better for the viewers because there's no clash - people at home lose out if things are competing against one another."

The new series of Strictly will begin in September with two special Friday night launch shows, but will switch to Saturdays only from then on.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "We wanted to make Strictly Come Dancing an unmissable TV event this autumn, so we are packing all the action into one dramatic show.

"Audiences will be watching, voting and, crucially, seeing who's in and who's out every week on Saturday nights."

Last year's series was won by Holby City actor Tom Chambers who triumphed after the semi-final was marred by voting problems.

Chambers was saved from a certain place in the semi-final dance-off by a last-minute decision to let all three couples go into the final.

The decision was made after freak scoring results from judges meant Chambers' opponents Rachel Stevens and Lisa Snowdon tied.

This meant that no matter how much public support he received, Chambers could not be saved from the dance-off.

Earlier rounds were enlivened by former political journalist John Sergeant, whose clumsy footwork exasperated the judges and delighted the public, who voted to keep him in the show week after week.