ITV And BBC Get Festive With Christmas Schedule Launches

ITV1 and BBC One have unveiled their Christmas schedules as they compete for viewers in the increasingly competitive multi-channel marketplace.

ITV1’s Christmas programming will include the finalé of Pop Idol, which will reveal who will follow in Will Young’s footsteps. There will also be a World Idol special, which will see winners from around the world compete for the global crown.

The channel will also screen a range of original dramas and sporting programmes dedicated to England’s Rugby World Cup victory. On Boxing Day ITV1 will show a Rugby World Cup Review hosted by Chris Tarrant. There will also be a We Are The Champions: The Nation Celebrates show which features “great music, comedy, emotion and some wonderful surprises.”

Tabloid favourites Victoria and David Beckham will also make an appearance on ITV1 in a programme called The Real Beckhams, which will follow the publicity hungry couple around their new life in Spain.

Over on BBC1 EastEnders is set to take centre stage with Kat and Alfie’s Christmas wedding. Films including Stuart Little, Galaxy Quest, Meet The Parents and Bedazzled will also be shown over the festive period.

The channel has also today unveiled its £177 million winter season with a promise to tackle the important issues facing society; from the rise of the far right and children in care to increasing problem of personal debt.

Commenting on the launch, Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC One, said: “One of the challenges facing BBC One is how to get a broad audience to engage with important social and political issues. This season we will be using a variety of different programming styles to connect viewers with some of the toughest challenges facing contemporary Britain.”

The BBC was also in the news earlier this week with the announcement that Coca-Cola is to become the multimillion pound sponsor of the weekly music charts used by Radio One and Top Of The Pops, which is likely to anger its commercial rivals (see BBC Comes Under Fire Over Coke’s Chart Sponsorship).

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com

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