Talent show fans will have to choose between Xfactor and the Strictly Come Dancing  after the BBC decided to go head-to-head with ITV on a Saturday night for the first time.

The two shows have traditionally aired with little or no overlap in broadcast time, meaning that fans have seldom had to choose which show they would watch live.

However, the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, which is due to start on Friday 18 September, has been scheduled on its first Saturday night, the 19th, to air between 7.25pm and 9.05pm. This pits it almost directly against ITV1′s blockbuster X Factor, which will then be in its fifth week, airing between 8pm and 9.15pm.

“It is disappointing that they are effectively splitting the audience – both shows have previously been pretty much complementary,” said an ITV source. “Given that millions of people enjoy both shows this seems to be a very aggressive and competitive scheduling decision.”

Previous series of Strictly Come Dancing, which is about to start its seventh outing, have traditionally aired earlier, with start times between 6pm and 6.30pm. This year the first two weeks of Strictly will see shows air on Friday and Saturday night. From week three the show will take over Saturday nights with one long episode, including the results.

The BBC argues that there is actually more choice for viewers this year because Strictly has dropped its Sunday night results show, run for the past two seasons, while X-Factor has launched a Sunday show this year for the first time.