Meldrew leads BBC ratings charge

Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson): To be killed off in final series

Comedy hit One Foot In The Grave will be the first programme to replace BBC One's Nine O'Clock News in the channel's new evening schedule.

The sitcom's final series, which will end with the death of Richard Wilson's grumpy pensioner Victor Meldrew, will kick off the network's new evening schedules from 16 October, which sees the start of the new Ten O'Clock News bullletin.

Other highlights include a new series of The Royle Family, which will go out on Monday after One Foot In the Grave.

Have I Got News For You moves to BBC One

Satirical news quiz Have I Got News For You will move across from BBC Two to begin a new series at 2100 on Friday 20 October.

'New look BBC One'

BBC director of television Mark Thompson said: "This line-up represents the new look BBC One - it makes clear sense for the viewer and it offers a rich, varied but popular mixed schedule with news still at its heart."

Films will play a big part in the new schedule's first week - with Will Smith's Men In Black being aired on the Tuesday and Richard E Grant's Scarlet Pimpernel appearing on the Wednesday.

Mr Thompson said there would be more to come in the weeks ahead.

The Royle Family will help herald a new-look Monday

"However, it is just the first week in what will be a very long journey.

"There is more ambitious programming with contemporary drama like The Sins with Pete Postlethwaite, and Sir David Attenborough's State Of The Planet still to come this autumn."

New comedy Too Much Sun - starring The Full Monty's Mark Addy - will also form part of the new schedule, while Question Time will remain in its regular Thursday evening slot.

The first Sunday night Panorama, on 15 October, will examine the ethical policies of global companies Gap and Nike.

Sunday also sees the debut of Professor Robert Winston's look at the human body, Superhuman.

Ratings war

BBC director-general Greg Dyke announced on Tuesday that BBC One's main bulletin was to be moved to 10 o'clock a year earlier than had been expected.

Call for Chris Tarrant: ITV moves Millionaire to fight back

This followed ITV's announcement that it would be restoring its old News At Ten bulletin on at least three nights each week.

BBC One's biggest schedule shake-up in 30 years sets the scene for a huge ratings battle.

Already, ITV has moved its edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? on the first Monday of the new schedule to 2100 - head-on with One Foot In The Grave.

A repeat of David Jason's A Touch of Frost will be shown on Tuesday, while Andrew Morton's documentary on the Queen will be up against the Ten O'Clock News on Thursday.

"Obviously, ITV are taking our new line-up very seriously," a BBC insider told News Online.

---

Schedule highlights:

Sunday 15 October
2110 Superhuman
2200 BBC News
2215 Panorama

Monday 16 October
2100 One Foot In The Grave
2130 The Royle Family

Tuesday 17 October
2000 My Family
2030 Film: Men In Black

Wednesday 18 October
2030 The Scarlet Pimpernel

Thursday 19 October
2005 Holby City
2105 Hope And Glory

Friday 20 October
2100 Have I Got News For You
2130 Vicar of Dibley (repeat)
2200 BBC News
2235 Too Much Sun