What will happen to the X Factor UK now, is the question many are asking after it was announced this morning, that ITV reportedly “poached” rival talent show from the BBC:
Mark Linsey, Acting Director of BBC Television released a statement:
The BBC is incredibly proud of The Voice, but the fifth series which starts in January will be our last. We always said we wouldn’t get into a bidding war or pay inflated prices to keep the show, and it’s testament to how the BBC has built the program up–and established it into a mainstay of the Saturday Night schedule–that another broadcaster has poached it.
Some are speculating that it could be the beginning of the end for the X Factor UK, which has been faced with falling ratings after a top to bottom revamp this year. There are speculations that Sky could take on X Factor if ITV decided to drop the show.
Interestingly, The Voice production company, Talpa, is now owned by ITV Studios, the network’s production division, and could also have factored into ITV’s decision to outbid the BBC for the show.
The Voice UK will run it’s last cycle on The BBC in January of 2016.
Two very similar shows running on the same network back to back? It didn’t work out well for FOX when they aired both X Factor and American Idol. It appears that The Voice may be taking over the world.
via The Guardian
