DOWNING Street blinked last night amid TV fury at Theresa May vetoing live election debates with rival party leaders.

Her top advisers agreed to meet the BBC today — although No10 sources insisted there would be no U-turn over her boycott of head-to-head showdowns.

2 ITV will hold a TV election debate whether Theresa May turns up or not Credit: Reuters

One said the PM was likely to agree to a Question Time Special format like the one predecessor David Cameron faced during last year’s EU referendum campaign.

It saw him take part in a lengthy interview before being grilled by an audience.

Mrs May’s refusal to agree to election debates failed to stop both the BBC and ITV pressing ahead with plans to stage them without her.

2 It will be presented by elections veteran Julie Etchingham Credit: PA

One hosted by ITV’s Julie Etchingham is expected to be broadcast early next month.

The BBC’s head of news Jonathan Munro said no party leader will stop the corporation screening TV programmes that are “in the public interest”.

He said TV debates were now an integral part of election campaigns.

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A defiant No 10 insider said: “What other leaders do is a decision for them.”

Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn said of Mrs May: “She cannot be allowed to run away from her duty to democracy and refuse to let the British people hear the arguments directly.”

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon called on broadcasters to “go ahead anyway” and just leave a chair empty for the PM.