2017 to begin with Strictly/X Factor-style showdown as BBC's Let it Shine goes head-to-head with ITV's The Voice
The entertainment formats will overlap by nearly half an hour when both shows begin on Saturday 7th January
2017 will begin with a high-profile TV scheduling showdown as BBC1’s new entertainment format Let it Shine will go head-to-head with The Voice on ITV.
Gary Barlow's new talent show Let it Shine will air from 7pm until 8.25pm on BBC1 on Saturday January 7th, with The Voice - which ITV poached from the BBC - broadcast a little later between 8pm and 9.35pm. This means that the two programmes will overlap by 25 minutes on the night.
The decision to schedule Let it Shine competitively shows that the BBC is in no mood to throw in the towel following its scraps with the Government over the BBC charter and criticisms of its scheduling decisions.
Culture secretary John Whittingdale criticised the BBC’s competitive airing of hit shows like Strictly Come Dancing against commercial opposition. Many commercial broadcasters including ITV have been openly critical of the BBC's scheduling in their submissions to the Government.
In The Voice, show veterans Tom Jones and will.i.am will be joined by new recruits Jennifer Hudson and Bush singer Gavin Rossdale when the singing contest makes its ITV debut.
Let it Shine sees the judges spend eight weeks in a search for talented individuals to form a band. The successful ones will eventually join the cast of a brand new stage show featuring the music of Barlow’s Take That.
Glee star Amber Riley will appear as a judge during the first round of the competition, which will be presented by Graham Norton and Mel Giedroyc.
