BBC saves ITV's Saturday night schedule from strike disruption

LONDON - The BBC is to help rival ITV keep its Saturday evening schedule intact, after strike action by production and technical staff over pay threatened to derail its programmes.

The strike by more than 700 staff at ITV centres across the UK starts tomorrow morning and affects a string of shows, including the live Saturday evening programme 'Hit Me Baby One More Time', presented by Vernon Kay.

According to ITV, the 1980s nostalgia show has been saved after a deal was agreed with the BBC to hire studio space at the corporation's White City complex as well as its production staff.

'Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' will also go ahead, but with a pre-recorded show instead of its usual live outing.

A spokesman for ITV confirmed "alternative arrangements" involving the BBC had been made to salvage 'Hit Me Baby'.

He said: "It is not unusual for ITV and the BBC to use each other's facilities", citing 'Have I Got New For You' as one BBC show that has been broadcast from ITV studios in the past.

This latest facility sharing deal means that 'Hit Me Baby' will be broadcast from the same building as BBC One's Saturday evening live ratings rival, 'Strictly Dance Fever'.

Despite being warned against relentless pursuit of ratings by culture secretary Tessa Jowell, the BBC's flagship Saturday night show 'Doctor Who' has been the subject of a massive PR push in recent weeks and is so far trouncing ITV's key Saturday evening show 'Saturday Night Takeaway'.

However those PR efforts came partially unstuck earlier this week, when the BBC was forced to admit its press office had made up a statement from departing star Christopher Eccleston.

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