The BBC have issued a huge scheduling shake-up for Saturday night, as a beloved show is set to be dropped from screens.

Bosses have announced that fan-favourite programme Gladiators is going to pulled from screens to make way for sporting coverage.

This means fans will have to be patient and wait until Saturday April 5 to be able to watch the highly-anticipated semi-finals of the reboot. 

BBC One usually air Gladiators every Saturday evening around 5:50pm, but will instead be airing the FA cup quarter-final game between Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest.

It’s good news for football fans as the corporation’s live coverage will be kicking off from 5pm, with regular programming returning from 7:30pm with BBC News.

Viewers will also be able to tune into The Weakest Link, Casualty and Dope Girls as normal on Saturday.

The BBC have issued a huge scheduling shake-up for Saturday night, as a beloved show is set to be dropped from screens

Bosses have announced that fan-favourite programme Gladiators is going to pulled from screens to make way for sporting coverage

BBC One usually air Gladiators every Saturday evening around 5:50pm, but will instead be airing the FA cup quarter-final game between Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest

It comes just after  Gladiator Giant got emotional during an episode earlier this month as he revealed he had been forced to pull out of the rest of the series.

The former firefighter – real name Jamie Christian-Johal – suffered an injury live on air as he took part in the powerball game three weeks ago.

Joining hosts Bradley Walsh and his son Barney, Giant returned to screens to announce he would be out of action for the rest of the series.

He explained: ‘So, in a game of powerball I felt a pull in my bicep. Unfortunately that means I’m out for the rest of series.

As Giant looked around the arena whie fans waved banners and chanted his name he began to get emotional.

He added: ‘These Giant banners… these are the guys that make me want to do this.’

Giant continued: ‘The fact that I still have one great arm, two amazing legs and a cracking set of teeth – can’t go wrong with that!

Last month, Giant said he is glad he can be a ‘positive’ role model for children and fitness despite previously taking steroids as he spoke to MailOnline.

He said: ‘I think series three isn’t quite confirmed but I’m sure we will be back. It’s been really nice having a positive influence on children and fitness.

It comes just after Gladiator Giant got emotional during an episode earlier this month as he revealed he had been forced to pull out of the rest of the series 

The former firefighter – real name Jamie Christian-Johal – suffered an injury live on air as he took part in the powerball game

Read More Iconic BBC children’s TV show set to be rebooted after almost 25 years off air

‘When we were younger we would sit down with our families on a Saturday night but that has been lost because of streaming and technology so this has brought that back and I think its a great message and thing to do.

Giant added that it would be ‘strange and weird’ if the hit BBC series, which is hosted by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney, wasn’t renewed for a third series.

He continued: ‘I think series 3 isn’t quite confirmed but I’m sure we will be back. I can’t confirm anything because nothing is official but it would be strange and weird if it didn’t happen.’

When asked if the athletes get compeтιтive between themselves during the show, Giant added: ‘Yes it is we are all athletes at heart but we have to realise we are on a TV show as well. The audience and the chants and signs do make you feel good.’

It comes after Giant was cast on the family-friendly game show despite admitting to taking steroids in resurfaced YouTube videos.

The bodybuilder is said to have boasted about his ‘phenomenal gains’ from taking the Class C drug which caused a ‘PR nightmare’ for the BBC.

A source told The Sun last year: ‘The first series of Gladiators was a huge success for the BBC and so there was no surprise to hear that a second series had been ordered’.

‘What was more surprising, though, is that bosses had not taken the chance to weed out any of the less family-friendly characters through a shake-up of the Gladiator squad.

‘It was a PR nightmare for the BBC at the time. It’s a family show and they somehow had not spotted this material from its biggest star’.

BBC declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.