Wozza's ITV move goes sour

It was billed as the bitter new battle of Saturday morning television. When Antony Worrall Thompson defected from his BBC cookery show to front a series for ITV, corporation bosses were said to be furious. But new figures reveal they need not have worried.

Just four weeks after ITV1 launched Worrall Thompson in Saturday Cooks Live! - head-to-head against his old BBC1 show Saturday Kitchen - the BBC is winning out.

A million people tuned in at the weekend to watch Saturday Kitchen, which relaunched two weeks ago with Strictly Come Dancing chef James Martin in Worrall Thompson's-place. Over on ITV1, meanwhile, Saturday Cooks Live! managed just 400,000 - shedding 200,000 viewers from a high of 600,000 a fortnight before.

ABBC insider said: "ITV may have nicked the BBC's format and presenter but the viewers won't be fooled by a cheap copy."

The disappointing ratings come as yet another blow to ITV1. The signing of Worrall Thompson had been hailed as a coup by director of daytime programming Alison Sharman, a former BBC executive, who said: "In Antony we have one of the country's most respected and entertaining chefs. His engaging and warm style will bring a loyal audience."

It also marked a landmark review of Saturday morning schedules, the home of children's TV for the past 32 years.

But even the presence of " gastronomic totty" Jean Christophe Novelli alongside Worrall Thompson failed to create the stir that ITV bosses hoped.

The ratings also signal a dramatic reversal of fortunes for Worrall Thompson, whose final broadcast for BBC1 on 3 June attracted 1.14 million viewers. In a bid to bolster ratings, ITV1 is scheduling repeats of Friday night's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? at 11am after Saturday Cooks Live!

An ITV1 spokeswoman said: " Saturday Cooks is a new show and it's settling in in the schedules. People are still finding it and we are very happy with how it's doing."

However, it is only the beginning of the battle, which heads next to Sunday mornings. Anneka Rice has returned to TV by presenting a new ITV1 cookery show called Sunday Feast, alongside Andi Peters.

BBC1 plans to screen its own Sunday Brunch in a tit-for-tat move.