The BBC has made some big changes to its usual Saturday schedule on BBC One, due to a historic event taking place
BBC One’s typical weekend line-up is set for a major reshuffle to accommodate significant events this weekend.
The network’s primary channel will deviate from its regular Saturday programming on 26 April to broadcast Pope Francis’ funeral.
The BBC has announced that the funeral, held at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City, will be aired on BBC One starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Journalist Reeta Chakrabarti will lead the coverage, which is slated to last three hours and 59 minutes.
This change has triggered a substantial revamp of BBC One’s Saturday schedule, with shows like Saturday Kitchen and Mary Berry: Love to Cook being displaced from their usual slots. These programmes typically air at 10 a.m. and 11.30am., respectively, reports the Express.
However, viewers won’t have to miss their favourite shows as the BBC has arranged for both programmes to be broadcast on BBC Two at their regular times.
Following Pope Francis’ funeral coverage, the BBC Weekend News will be shown at 12.30pm – slightly earlier than its usual 1pm slot. This will be followed by BBC Weather at 12.40pm.
London Marathon: My Reason to Run, hosted by Gabby Logan, will air for 30 minutes from 12.45pm, followed by the Snooker World Championship, which kicks off at 1.15pm.
After additional news updates, BBC One will screen The FA Cup Semi-Final: Crystal Palace v Aston Villa at 4.45pm, with a fresh episode of Doctor Who airing at 7.20pm.
The news of Pope Francis’ passing broke on Easter Monday. The Vatican shared the sombre news in a statement on Monday (21 April), saying that Pope Francis had died at 88.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized,” read the poignant statement from the Vatican.
The Funeral of Pope Francis will air on BBC One on Saturdat, 26 April at 8.30am
