Fans of BBC crime drama Sherwood let loose a volley of anger after their favourite show was shunted at the last minute from BBC One to BBC Two on Monday (June 27) due to Wimbledon. The hit show, set in Nottingham, broadcasts its final two episodes this week and viewers had been on tenterhooks for the latest twists and turns.
But as Andy Murray's match was overrunning on BBC One, it meant BBC schedulers had to take swift action. They moved the drama to BBC Two, catching many fans out.
Because while the series can be viewed on iPlayer, people who had set-top boxes ready to record Sherwood at 9pm found they had an hour of tennis. Two-time Wimbledon champion Murray was in first round action against Australian James Duckworth, and eventually won the match.
But it was more bad publicity for the BBC which faced a barrage of criticism over the weekend for the delay in putting Paul McCartney's Glastonbury set on iPlayer. Fans had to wait 24 hours before they could catch up with it.
Andrew Jazzie was one of many who tweeted about their disappointment: "BBC finally has a drama worth watching and they move it from BBC1 to BBC2 with barely (if any) a mention. Ridiculous."
Annie Bannister wrote: "Ummmm, BBC, if you're suddenly going to put #Sherwood on BBC2, you might want to warn us first. Missed 10mins waiting for the sodding tennis to finish."
Kelly Walker said: "I just assumed you had binned tonight's #Sherwood in favour of Wimbledon to find out from somebody else 15 mins later that you have shifted it to BBC2!!! Can't even catch up as Sky thinks it is recording it when it is infact recording Wimbledon on BBC. What a joke!"
Alan Royston said:"What on earth is the #BBC playing at. Why switch #Sherwood to #BBCtwo at the last minute? It's been tennis all day. Anybody else with me on this?"x
Sam was, writing: "Shocking from BBC One and Wimbledon leaving it until the very last minute to move Sherwood to BBC Two people may have missed the beginning of it now. Tennis could have easily moved to BBC Two or red button."
One of the stars of the show, set in a former mining community still divided by events of the miners' strike of the 1980s, David Morrissey, went on twitter to warn fans:"SHERWOOD on BBC 2 Tonight by the way!"
The acclaimed series, which broadcasts its final sixth episode on Tuesday at 9pm (June 28), has enthralled viewers as a number of murders by crossbow take place. It has also focused on police infilitration of miners' communities.
