Was this the moment football finally went too far?
Those who don’t care for the nation’s favourite sport will, on occasion, complain that there’s far too much football on television.
It’s a standard argument at pubs, or around the dinner table at family gatherings, or…well, anywhere, really.
Televised football must seem relentless to the sort of people who are inclined to change the channel as soon as a game comes on, but normally it doesn’t interfere too much. Normally it’s on Sky Sports or BT Sport, so it’s easy to avoid.
Not tonight, though, when FA Cup replay night meant an interruption to the scheduled programming on BBC One.
It was bad news for anyone expecting to tune in to Silent Witness over dinner, with the popular drama replaced by Lincoln v Ipswich – a game which won’t even have been everyone’s first choice out of the day’s replays.
Even those who found out about it a few hours ahead of time were furious.
Hold the fuck on they've postponed Silent Witness to show fucking Ipswich vs Lincoln what the fuck is this bullshit
— Jack Baker (showbiz showbiz showbiz) (@JackBaker1311) January 17, 2017
But the viewers who found out at the last minute were consumed with rage.
https://twitter.com/hol0903/status/821459437999288321
https://twitter.com/caitlinhodjon99/status/821458486097747968
https://twitter.com/laraeardley_x/status/821460384519483392
Some even took it upon themselves to complain to the BBC.
https://twitter.com/LucieMarjoram/status/821458712766414849
@BBC why have you moved #SilentWitness and put a boring FA playoff during a prime time viewing slot?!? Mediocre decision making… 🙁
— Hamish Belding (@BikeWalkScoot) January 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/CitehMicky/status/821458049433006085
Still, at least it was a massive game that everyone wanted to watch. Wait.
https://twitter.com/tomstoneman/status/821459930045710340
Can't believe @BBCOne have binned off silent witness for the blimin' football. It's not even a big match! #LincolnWho #IpswichWho #rubbish
— Dan Flanders (@FlandersDan) January 17, 2017
We’re looking forward to May, when the cup final is interrupted for an episode of a second-tier crime drama. No? Okay, maybe not.
