Smallscreen News

Call The Midwife finale forced to change timeslot

Feb 9, 2012, 16:05 GMT

Call the Midwife star Miranda Hart

BBC One have moved the season finale of 'Call the Midwife' to avoid a clash with 'Coronation Street'.

The 1950s drama - which stars Miranda Hart, Jenny Agutter and Jessica Raine and has recently been commissioned for a second series - will now air at 8.30pm on February 19 after the ITV1 soap was moved to 8pm on the same night.

While ITV bosses insisted the show was moved from its usual Thursday slot due to a Europa League football game, insiders at the rival broadcaster believe it was done to sabotage ratings for the finale of 'Call the Midwife', which has been attracting up to nine million viewers this year.

A source said: ''Call The Midwife' has been the standout hit of the year and it's both surprising and disappointing for viewers that ITV1 were prepared to sacrifice an episode of 'Coronation Street' just to damage its audience.'

However, an ITV spokesman denied the claims, saying: ''Coronation Street' will move out of its 8.30pm slot on Thursday because the Porto / Man City game is being screened.

'We've moved it to Sunday because that's the next available similar time slot and it's for one night only.'