BBC move Call the Midwife to avoid Corrie clash

Pam FerrisThe BBC has moved the final episode of Call the Midwife to avoid it clashing with ITV soap Coronation Street.

As reported earlier today advanced schedules revealed the two would go head-to-head on Sunday 19th February. ITV was moving Coronation Street to Sunday evening because of football coverage on the Thursday evening which displaces the soap. However, the BBC as now changed its schedules to ensure there is no clash between the two.

It is unlikely, in the long run, that either Call the Midwife or Corrie would have lost viewers by clashing given the rise of consumption of programmes via on-demand platforms and viewers opting to record programmes to watch later. While “overnight” figures may have seen an impact on either series the final consolidated figures will have seen both programmes recover any lost ground.

However, the clash will now be avoided with the BBC moving the season one finale of Call the Midwife back by half an hour meaning it will air at 8.30 instead of 8pm – it will now air opposite Wild at Heart. The second season of Upstairs Downstairs will then launch at 9.30 on BBC One airing against the Dancing on Ice results show on ITV1.