The Voice UK dropped by BBC

The Voice UK is leaving the BBC and heading for the commercial ITV – casting a dark cloud over the future of The X Factor.

Mark Linsey, Acting Director of BBC Television, confirmed: “The BBC is incredibly proud of The Voice, but the fifth [season], which starts in January will be our last.

“We always said we wouldn’t get into a bidding war or pay inflated prices to keep the show, and it’s testament to how the BBC has built the program up – and established it into a mainstay of the Saturday night schedule – that another broadcaster has poached it.”

ITV’s other major entertainment show, Sunday night’s Britain’s Got Talent, was the highest rating show in Britain this year with 13.4 million viewers tuning in for its grand finale in June.

But the channel badly needs a strong Saturday night show after lacklustre ratings this year for The X Factor

There is another reason for the move. Earlier this year, it bought The Voice creator Talpa for £355 million (Australian $758.8 million). The plan was for ITV to start producing it in-house from 2017, replacing current producer Wall to Wall.

But ITV is paying paid £22 million ($47 million) a year for it – twice as much as the £12 million ($25.6 million) the BBC has been paying.

The Voice is not travelling all that well either. In April, its grand finale only drew 6.3 million, its lowest figures yet. But ITV believes it can build those figures. It is also committed to creating more spin-offs of the brand, including the kids’ version which has proven popular in some other countries including Australia.

It is believed the BBC made a “final” bid to keep The Voice for another two years.

But another reason for the BBC to cut The Voice adrift is that the Government is reviewing the BBC’s mandate. In August a consulting paper stated that The Voice had no place at the BBC. Why, it asked, is a public broadcaster spending taxpayers’ money buying a format developed overseas in Holland and similar to a show like The X Factor which was already available on a commercial show?

“This is in contrast to Strictly Come Dancing, which was developed by the BBC in-house and then sold abroad,” it pointed out.

Boy George and Paloma Faith will join will.i.am and Ricky Wilson on the judging panel for the next The Voice series

Media speculation is that once ITV gets The Voice, it will drop The X Factor, which has suffered its worst ratings this year. Last Saturday, The X Factor slumped to an 11-year low of just 5.6 million, and ITV needs a strong Saturday night entertainment show.

But the scenario that is developing is that if The X Factor becomes available, Sky TV will make a swoop for it.