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Ten to give So You Think You Can Dance another go

Dance competition reality show So You Think You Can Dance will return to Channel Ten in 2014 following a four year break and the ratings disaster of Everybody Dance Now.

The fourth season of the show based on the award-winning American series will be produced by Shine Australia following a deal with co-creator of the show Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer and a judge on the US show now in it’s tenth series.

The Australian version of the show started out strong in 2008, with ratings averaging 1.8m per episode, and had an average audience of 1.279m for the second series in 2009.

However ratings started to drop off in 2010, with the winner announcement in the final attracting 1.041m viewers, a drop from 1.452m for the winner announcement the previous year.

The return follow’s the ratings disaster of Australian dance competition reality show Everybody Dance Now produced by Fremantle Media and launched on Ten in 2011.

The show fronted by Sarah Murdoch recorded 598,000 metro viewers for the two hour premiere, and when the audience dropped to just over 300,000 for episode three, Ten pulled the show.

Previously, Natalie Bassingthwaighte hosted the Australian show with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe as judges. The promo for the show says there will be a new presenter.

Casting commences immediately and producers will cross the country hosting auditions from September. Standout performers will be shortlisted for a chance to work towards the live competition shows.

The CEO of Shine Australia Mark Fennessy said: “At Shine, we’re excited to once again showcase our most exceptional talent.”

Network Ten’s chief programming officer, Beverley McGarvey, said: “The show is Event TV at its best and is great entertainment for the entire family. Our aim is to showcase the great variety of dance in Australia and our country’s best dancers – and to give those dancers the chance to fulfil their dreams.”

The move comes as Ten continues to remake its schedule, with morning programming Wake Up and Studio 10 to launch in a couple of months, and the network already heavily promoting its reality show The Bachelor.

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