Cheryl’s The Greatest Dancer faces ratings battle with The Voice as bitter row erupts over Saturday night TV schedule
BITTER row has erupted between BBC and ITV over Saturday night’s primetime entertainment schedule.
ITV’s singing talent vehicle The Voice and the Beeb’s new offering The Greatest Dancer will both be shown at 8pm.
BBC chiefs had urged their rivals to compromise to avoid any crossover — but ITV executives have apparently refused to budge.
Instead the BBC now plans to move next week’s second instalment of The Greatest Dancer — featuring Cheryl Tweedy, 35, and Oti Mabuse, 28 — to a slightly later time.
ITV bigwigs fuelled the row by putting the network premiere of JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them before The Voice to tempt extra viewers.
A BBC source said: “ITV are being very juvenile over this by refusing to change the time of The Voice to let viewers watch both of the shows.
“It means the BBC have been left with no choice but to change the slot of The Greatest Dancer next week now we’ve discovered what they’re doing.
“Fantastic Beasts could have been shown over Christmas but the slot they have put it in shows they are trying to steal viewers from their rival.”
The Greatest Dancer has been masterminded by The X Factor boss Simon Cowell, 59, in a bid to give the Beeb an entertainment hit away from Strictly.
It marks Cheryl’s return to Saturday night telly after her own X Factor stint three years ago.
And Oti believes Cheryl should sign up for Strictly, where she is a resident professional.
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
She said: “I would love to see her try.
“I think if she did Strictly, people would love her and see another side that they haven’t seen yet. She would be brilliant.”
The Voice returns to ITV this week with Sir Tom Jones, 78, Olly Murs, 34, Will.i.am, 43, and Jennifer Hudson, 37, as coaches.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]