Doctor Who episode faces axing in major BBC scheduling shake-up ahead of FA Cup final

A spin-off episode based around the is likely to be axed according to the show's boss, due to scheduling issues. The much-loved TV show, which has garnered a cult following since its launch in the sixties, is now fighting for its place in the prime time TV slot with the as it battles against the live final and the song contest.

This comes after it was officially announced that the show will return with leading actor as the fifteenth Doctor. The new series will return later this month on April 12 at 6.50pm.

But plans to air the Eurovision themed episode on May 17 is now hanging in the balance as the broadcaster attempts to sort out scheduling issues.

The FA Cup final will feature teams including , Manchester City, Crystal Palace and as they compete to be crowned champions.

With the possibility of extra time, this has now thrown everything into chaos, pushing out of the coveted prime time slot.

Show boss Russell T. Davies recently confirmed the plight of the episode. In a chat with OK! Magazine: "The FA Cup is going live on BBC One, and then you have Eurovision going live in the evening, we're squeezed in the middle. We don't know if we'll even be transmitted that day."

He added: "It will be on but you'll have to sit through a football match to know whether Doctor Who will be out that night. They [the BBC] asked if we wanted to move it. But I said, ''That's the most exciting thing I've ever heard. Let's find out!"

News of the scheduling clash comes as it was recently reported that the cult TV show may be dropped after suffering a demise in ratings.

And it was also speculated that lead star Ncuti could be quitting the show. A drop in ratings has been linked to fans being frustrated with "woke" storylines.

Ncuti was announced as the new Doctor in 2023 after quit. But decisions over the future of the show remains in the balance until after the actor's second series is aired later this year.

It is believed the star has filmed his regeneration exit scene, leading to the speculation. A source told The Sun: "Ncuti doesn't want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to Los Angeles with several Hollywood projects standing by for him. "

They added: "His team also see a lot of fan backlash from the series, and don't want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work."

They added: "The show has been poorly managed in recent years and there's a lot of people who've been working on this show for years and now being cast aside due to poor leadership."

However, a spokesperson for the TV show told the publication: "This story is incorrect. Doctor Who has not been shelved. As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes — and exactly half of those still have to transmit."

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