ITV will be showing its TV remake of the Russian classic 'Dr Zhivago' by Boris Pasternak, while the BBC will be showing George Eliot's 'Daniel Deronda'. Both have been adapted by Andrew Davies, who has previously adapted many historical dramas for the BBC.
Chief among his adaptations for the BBC are 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Mother Love', 'House of Cards', 'A Rather English Marriage', 'Wives & Daughters' and 'The Way We Live Now'. For ITV, he made 'Moll Flanders', one of the commercial network's biggest historical dramas.
With both dramas slated to be shown on Sunday evening, traditionally the home of such dramas on British television, ITV is worried that it might come out the loser in a ratings clash, which will hurt its chances of pulling in some much needed advertising revenue.
A spokesman for ITV said; "We're sure that the BBC wants to avoid a clash as much as we do -- these are two high-quality dramas, which will be a highlight for viewers this autumn. We've declared our hand -- hopefully this will help the BBC in scheduling its programme so that viewers get the best of both worlds."
The BBC has so far failed to respond to ITV's request and has said only that, whatever it does, it will be in the interests of the viewer.
However, it is difficult to see where else the BBC could slot in such a drama, which might make the historical programming clash inevitable.
ITV will broadcast 'Dr Zhivago' first on Sunday November 24.
The BBC's 'Daniel Deronda' will star Edward Fox, Hugh Bonneville, Romola Garai, Hugh Dancy and Jodhi May.
According to Andrew Davies: "George Eliot's last novel is bold and experimental for its time, which makes it ripe for adaptation. Set in the 1860s, it is a passionate, intense love story which takes both hero and heroine, Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth, on a journey of eventual self-fulfilment."
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