Petition to change the time of Songs of Praise backed by Chichester Diocese

A tweet from the Diocese twitter account read: "#SongsofPraise is now being transmitted @ 1.15pm on Sundays. This is not a good time particularly for those in Residential Homes. Please sign the petition asking @BBCNews to restore Songs of Praise to its original time - please share in your networks."

The petition page, which you can find here, says that the change in time from 4pm to 1.15pm will mean that an elderly audience will miss the show when residential care homes sit down for lunch at that time.

It also said that viewing numbers would drop possible leading to the show being axed permanently.

Commenting after signing the petition, Anne T said: "With the schedule so hard to fund, it's hard for those of us who value SoP and also have busy Sundays because we go to church, and for our elderly who can't keep up with it being slipped in as and when.

"It seems a deliberate attempt to ensure lower audiences so that BBC can soon drop it altogether."

Pauline B said: "My mother-in-law who resides in a local care home looked forward to watching Songs of Praise on a Sunday afternoon and now that it has been moved to lunchtime it clashes with their meal. The residents usually miss the programme that before was extremely enjoyed by most.