QI to move back to BBC Two
Popular intellectual panel game QI is moving away from BBC One, and will return to its original home channel.
The forthcoming tenth series, which will transmit in the autumn, will see the show return to a post-watershed slot on BBC Two, after three series in an early evening slot on the network's flagship channel, BBC One.
The move is being seen as an attempt to bring back the show's sharp humour which some believe has been lost since the move to BBC One. Fans have criticised the most recent series of QI on internet message boards for not being as interesting or as funny as previous series, with the need to keep the show 'mainstream' in its pre-watershed slot being seen as one major reason for these complaints occurring. Today's announcement by the BBC is likely to be seen by such fans as a welcome u-turn from the corporation.
The new acting Director of BBC Vision, George Entwhistle, says: "BBC One has been a wonderful custodian for this enjoyably impossible quiz. But I'll be very pleased to see QI back on Two, custom-built for a post watershed slot where I guess it might dare to be even more interesting."
Janice Hadlow, Controller, BBC Two, says: "I'm delighted that QI is returning to its original home. BBC Two looks forward to once again enjoying its wit, its cleverness and its always illuminating devotion to the really quite interesting."
John Lloyd, creator and series producer of the show, says: "QI did very well in the ratings on BBC One but we thought we ought to give Coronation Street a fighting chance. We're very happy to be back in our old den on BBC Two."
QI originally began on BBC Two in 2003 in a post-watershed slot with its first series covering everything quite interesting beginning with the letter 'A'. The following four series (Series B-E) were also shown on BBC Two, with episodes being shown in advance on BBC Four. However, since 2009, QI has been shown first on the more mainstream BBC One in a pre-watershed slot, with extended editions being shown on BBC Two as QI XL.
The tenth series, covering the letter 'I', will be broadcast in the autumn with Stephen Fry and Alan Davies remaining as the host and regular panellist respectively. It is not yet known if the extended editions of QI XL will still continue.
Meanwhile, as previously announced, Miranda, the hit sitcom starring Miranda Hart, will move from BBC Two to BBC One for its third series.
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