The “missing” second episode of ITV1’s US drama import Pushing Daisies, which stars former Brookside actor Anna Friel, is to be shown on the broadcaster’s website on Saturday.
ITV has decided to live stream the “magic episode” on ITV.com after the show’s first series finale airs on ITV1 between 10pm and 11pm on Saturday, May 31.
The episode, which involves pie-maker Ned, played by Lee Pace, coming to terms with his ability to bring people back from the dead, was dropped by ITV1 to prevent the nine-part series from clashing with the Euro 2008 football tournament, which begins next Saturday, June 7.
“It’s a standalone episode and so many fans wanted to see it that the decision was taken to schedule it online on what promises to be one of ITV’s biggest nights,” said a spokesman for the show.
Other programmes in Saturday’s lineup include the final of runaway hit Britain’s Got Talent and An Audience With Neil Diamond.
The missing instalment is being billed by ITV as a “magic episode” of the series, which has been steadily losing viewers since it began transmission in April.
On Saturday, the seventh of the eight Pushing Daisies episodes broadcast on ITV1 was watched by 2.2 million viewers from 10pm according to the unofficial overnights, a share of 10%.
This was down on the debut episode shown last month, which pulled in an audience of 5.7 million viewers.
Pushing Daisies has been losing viewers despite being scheduled on Saturdays after Britain’s Got Talent, one of ITV1’s biggest hits.
Last year the Britain’s Got Talent final averaged 11 million viewers and ITV will be hoping Saturday’s final of the 2008 series tops that - and helps boost Pushing Daisies’ audience on TV and online.
i think it is unfair that the magic episode can only be viewed in the uk i live in spain have watched every episode and now cannot watch this one, any other way of seeing it please