The BBC is considering airing more drama on Saturday nights in a bid to alleviate its dearth of hit entertainment shows.

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According to sources, its difficulties finding Saturday night entertainment hits are such it is even considering beefing up the schedule with more Saturday night drama to add to weekend staples like Casualty and Doctor Who.

The claims come as the BBC has been suffering some rough Saturday nights of late.

BBC1 has lost The Voice to ITV which has snaffled the next series under a three-year deal thought to be worth £50m.

It has reportedly decided not to bring back Dermot O’Leary show The Getaway Car before series two has aired, although officially the Corporation says no decision has been made on its future.

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This follows one-hit wonders Prized Apart and Tumble. Question marks are still thought to remain over whether its planned reboot of the Generation Game is still on the cards.

In August, BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore received a Twitter rebuke from Hart after an interview in which Moore said the comedian would front a “modern reinvention of The Generation Game”.

The BBC insists it is still being worked on, but a three-year development span is quite some time for a well known format, leading to speculation over whether it will ever see the light of day.

There is one ray of sunlight, however – the new Gary Barlow Take That talent show Let it Shine is due to start next year, possibly in the slot vacated by The Voice in January 2017.

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And of course there is always Strictly Come Dancing to cheer everyone up in the autumn.

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