[MLehon]

They are constrained by having to show the National News at 1 and again at 3.30pm and the Rugby at 4pm. They could have avoided such constraints by having the programme on BBC Two NI but they probably felt it was too big an event to have on BBC Two.

Not so as the BBC1 National Bulletin has been dropped before locally in NI as was the case on 16 February 2020 when Jo Scott presented Newsline at 10.30pm which featured local, national and international news due to a previous local BBC1 programme. Can't think many viewers would have complained if a 10 minute News bulletin was missing on such a locally news heavy day in NI. Sarra Elgan's Six Nations Preview moved to BBC2 NI and showing 15 minutes later than on BBC1 elsewhere so things are being moved around locally today.