Out of the Blue switched to BBC2

Neighbours replacement Out of the Blue is being switched from BBC1 to BBC2 less than a month after it premiered because of disappointing ratings. BBC1 commissioned the 130-episode series, set in the resort of Manly, Sydney, from local Australian producer Southern Star Entertainment after it lost Neighbours to Channel Five. However, the expensive Australian soap, which launched last Monday, April 28, and airs at 2.10pm on BBC1 on weekdays, is being moved to BBC2 from May 19.

Out of the Blue launched with 1.2 million viewers. By yesterday its audience had dropped to 700,000. Despite inheriting 1.4 million from BBC1's long-running daytime drama Doctors, Out of the Blue was beaten by ITV1's 60 Minute Makeover, which drew 900,000 viewers.

Although ratings are lower than the 2.4 million viewers who used to tune into Neighbours at lunchtimes, the BBC is not under the same commercial pressures as ITV to axe or shift underperforming shows.

Out of the Blue centres on a group of thirtysomething friends who return to their home town for a high school reunion only for the celebrations to be curtailed when one of the group is murdered. The show is produced by an experienced team, including John Edwards, whose credits include The Secret Life of Us, and stars Home and Away's Charlotte Gregg and Heartbreak High's Katherine Hicks.

Such has been the anticipation surrounding the series that Australian broadcaster Network Ten, the home of Neighbours, has snapped up the rights to air it locally. When the commission was announced in November, Jane Tranter, the BBC fiction controller, called it "an ambitious project that we think will break new ground, at the same time as providing daytime audiences with a compelling and intriguing watch".

Out of the Blue does not air in Neighbours' previous slot of 1.40pm - Doctors now occupies that - but it was widely seen as BBC1's answer to the departure of Neighbours, which switched to Channel Five in February after more than 20 years on the corporation's flagship network.

ITV1 stuck with The Royal Today - a daytime spin-off from The Royal - which debuted with 2 million viewers and grew audiences after it launched in January.

The BBC admitted it is switching Out of the Blue to BBC2 for ratings reasons. Initially the Australian slot will be replaced in the 2.10pm slot by long-running US detective drama Diagnosis Murder before the BBC tests out some other new shows and genres.

A spokesman said: "The BBC often looks at scheduling across its portfolio of channels to ensure that we have the best mix of programming to suit the needs of the audience. Out of the Blue is a bold and original commission for BBC daytime with its compelling mix of human drama and its intriguing murder mystery set in a stunning location. The afternoon slot on BBC1 which the series had been in is very competitive and by moving the show to BBC2 we hope it will find a stronger home."