06/12/2005 - 11:57:19
Davina McCall has signed up as a chat show host for BBC1.
The Big Brother presenter will be the face of a new midweek evening entertainment show featuring guests and live music.
The announcement comes despite the fact that McCall’s last show on BBC1, He’s Having A Baby, was a flop, which had its 10-week run cut to eight.
BBC1 announced the prime-time Wednesday evening show as part of its winter/spring season for 2006.
BBC1 Controller Peter Fincham said: “There aren’t many chat shows with hosts that are women and this is very exciting for us.
“Since Michael Parkinson left (for ITV1) we haven’t had a chat show before the news that’s in peak time.
“We think that’s a rather exciting thing to do. It’s exciting to do a chat show that isn’t hosted by a man.
“I think Davina is rather special and viewers really like her. I’m really glad she’s here.”
Of He’s Having A Baby, he said: “That was an innovative and experimental show in which I think Davina was very good.
“That’s one story and this is another one. I think BBC1 is a natural home for Davina.”
Guests are set to include singer Charlotte Church, comic Peter Kay and actor Nigel Harman in an initial run of around eight weeks.
BBC1’s Saturday night programming will include Just The Two Of Us, a singing version of Strictly Come Dancing. Some of the nation’s favourite singers will be paired up with celebrities to compete in live duets.
Crooner Tony Christie has already been tipped to appear in one of the duos, who will be put to a public vote.
Today, Mr Fincham said the format for Just The Two Of Us would not simply be a copy of Strictly Come Dancing.
But he added that there was nothing wrong with derivative programming, saying some of the “programmes we know and love” had recycled familiar formats.
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