THE BBC has announced a major schedule shakeup as a huge Saturday night TV favourite is ditched.
Bosses at the publicly funded corporation are clearing the schedules to air even more sporting coverage
Brighton and Hove Albion’s FA Cup quarter-finals match against Nottingham Forrest on March 29th will receive dedicated coverage[/caption]
The move means Gladiators’ semi-finals will be moved until the following week[/caption]
They’re dedicating BBC One’s early evening output on Saturday, March 29th to live football coverage.
Brighton and Hove Albion are set to play Nottingham Forrest in the FA Cup quarter-finals
Dedicated coverage is scheduled to kick off from 5pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Normal programming will be off air until 7:30pm, when it resumes with BBC News at 10’s bulletin.
It means the semi-finals of the second series of Gladiators’ reboot have been halted until Saturday, April 5.
Despite the changes, fans will still be able to tune into The Weakest Link, Casualty and Dope Girls as normal on Saturday evening.
Whilst fans will have to wait an extra week to see all the action that is set to go down on Gladiators – it was revealed earlier this week that hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh had been banned from taking part in the show’s many different challenges.
Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with The National Lottery on Virgin Radio UK, the pair told how show bosses go to great lengths stopping them trying the infamous challenges.
Host Chris asked Bradley and Barney: “Do you get to have a go?”
To which Barney replied: “No, no and I wish I got to because I’d love to have a go at that stuff.
“They won’t let us, because of insurance. I would love to have a go at the Eliminator.
“I think that’s such an exciting thing to do… the zip line from the top to the bottom I think that’s so cool.”
Continuing, the duo were asked whether they could use the show’s pugil sticks.
Barney answered: “No, we can’t do any of it.”
The Chase presenter Bradley added: “They won’t let you up on the podium, even though there’s crash mats.”
BBC crime dramas
The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer.
Here’s a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.
- Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, this detective drama series was adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and stars Peter Davison.
- Dalziel And Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.
- Death In Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.
- Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.
- Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.
- Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.
- Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a inventor of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.
- Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.
- Life On Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.
- Line Of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.
- Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.
- New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.
- Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman‘s war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.
- Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.
- The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.
- Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.
- Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he’s tasked to investigate while Wallander’s job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.
