Ségolène Royal, the Socialist challenger for the French presidency, will hold a televised debate with François Bayrou on Saturday in a desperate attempt to win over the supporters of the centrist UDF leader, who came third in last Sunday’s first round poll.

BFM TV, an independent media group, promised to broadcast the meeting live this morning after Canal+ pulled out of the debate amid accusations that the television station had been lent on by supporters of Nicolas Sarkozy, the frontrunner from the centre-right UMP party.