There were rumours a year ago that Blackburn was leaving Corrie, then they vanished, and the word was the Jane Hudson at ITV, who oversees both soaps, expected producers to do three-year tours of duty. Which means Oates will remain at Corrie until 2018 – unless something goes wrong …

As for Blackburn, I'm sure he will enjoy the same kind of non-soap success at ITV afforded to Phil Collinson …

Welcome to soap FB pages. You always find 'lovers' and 'haters' with the highly rated comments, it's why those in charge of soaps should disregard everything posted on their FB pages because you'll never please everyone.

Blackburn leaving CS - what will we talk about now !!

I think it might be because they seem to be redundant of ideas.

Does anyone know what the ratings were for Hollyoaks,Neighbours and Home and Away yesterday? The soap article link on the main page isnt working. Thanks in advance.

Not nuch of a clash when you consider BBC Breakfast gets three times the audience of GMB

I'm still waiting to see all of the exciting new projects Lorraine Newman was given at the BBC since 'leaving' EastEnders.

Phil Collinson has a far more extensive career away from soaps as a producer than Stuart Blackburn. A major part of the successful RTD era of Doctor Who as well. Midwinter Of The Spirit on ITV next week is one of his shows.

It would seem like Victoria has "Downton replacement" written all over it, so I'd be surprised if we didn't see the autumn match up. It may be the case that it's a competition to see who gets on air first, as Downton usually waits till late September, but I can see the BBC going significantly sooner than that. Perhaps late August once the Olympics are done.

I wonder how many series you could get out of Victoria though? She had a long reign of course but the interesting bits would seem to be the early years then the end. How long could they drag it out for do we think?

Broadcast is saying Hunted got 1.5m incl +1 beaten by C5.

Yes, and just a simple extension rather than a bidding process it seems. No dilution in coverage. Very good news, though you get the impression of all the sporting contracts the BBC and the AEC are the most significantly welded together-it really will be a day of reckoning when there is a marked shift from that.

More TV bosses talking about TV at an RTS event in Cambridge. This caught my eye. Adam Crozier said that ITV will bid for free-to-air rights to The Olympics from Discovery.

They thought that about the British Open Golf and the Olmypics though didnt they and look whats happening there.

I know its only one slot per year but I wonder what ITV are going to do for their Christmas Day slot 8.30/9.00 after this year. Its been a really positive side effect of DA success that its been able to sprout a competitive and grand enough offering to sit on Christmas night. Hope its not even more soap offerings.

I shudder to think what their coverage would be like be like.

Ant & Dec presenting perhaps?

Including +1? I think Broadcast made a mistake because Bushmills has Hunted at 1.5m excluding +1 and 1.9m including +1.

Broadcast always use +1, so maybe they made a mistake on there.

Yes very interesting. Something ITV hasn't been involved with since 1988 and presumably now prompted by the new broadcasting bidding arena. Interesting also to see how the rights will be awarded-full or partial exclusivity etc. Nothing will ever top 2012 but it would be a significant coup after a long period away.

Goodness that is a horrible rating for Celebrity Juice. 14 series' in now and it looks like the bubble has finally burst. No doubt ITV will persist with it though and run it into the ground.

Good for Corrie last night. Highest Thursday rating since they introduced them a few months back. They have rated quite decently actually despite criticism that they shouldn't be a 6th episode (and they shouldn't be actually - 5 is enough). No episodes tonight due to the RWC so it's back Monday as normal. A lot of pressure on it next week ahead of the Live episode. Also good news about Blackburn finally been given the push.

EDIT: The Thursday episodes have averaged 6.3m exc +1 across the 8 extra episodes since July.

Super Saturday at The Olympics...

"The competitors in the Victory salute are Usain Bolt for his pointy finger. Victoria Pendelton for her hand crafted heart and Mo Farah's hands on head. It's your phone votes that decided who gets gold.

Coming up its the athlete who can drape the most number of flags of their country over their shoulders. "

Given the historical accuracy of Mr Selfridge, who knows what ITV intend with this project?

Caught in the middle will be Mammoth Screen - the production company for both series.

Channel 5 Programme Information: w/c 3rd October

New and Returning:
* Suspects (New Series)
* CSI: Cyber (New Series)
* Autopsy: The Last Hours of Heath Ledger (New)
* Air Crash Investigation: The Miracle of Flight 32 (New)
* 41 Dogs in a 3-Bed Semi (New)
* That's My Boy [2012] (Movie Premiere)

Plus... new to Spike:
* Catch a Contractor (New Series)

Source: C5 Press.

I had no idea that Midwinter Of The Spirit had Collinson as producer. Let's hope it performs better than exec producer Kieran Roberts' other efforts (The Trials Of Jimmy Rose, Home Front) …

Blackburn is a survivor. I wouldn't expect him to disappear … but Roberts' department will have to up its strike rate massively for him to hang on in there. ITV playing Midwinter Of The Spirit against Doctor Foster seems a strange move - unless they know something we don't?

BTW, I think Newman was involved in a 'story of EastEnders' project (à la Road To Coronation Street) that Ben Stephenson turned down at the last minute …

No one really cares about Coronation Street apart from this thread.

Wonder where Cyber will go? I'm guessing Tuesdays at 9pm followed by Suspects. Is 5 having an Adam Sandler season as it's the second Sandler film they've shown two weeks in a row.