ITV has a lot of drama with pulls up the average audience age. Despite IAC, TXF, BGT ITV show about 80% more drama content (including soaps) which skews older.

With TVUK on ITV next year, the average audience might drop a bit, and BBC will rise. Although it will probably be a mimimal change.

And I think Fay's involvement is one of the main reasons why Suspects rated quite well first time around. Incidentally now she's no longer involved and it lacks a big name it's not doing so well. Could be a coincidence, equally might not be!

With Borderline though the main talent - Ralf Little - was behind the camera only, which I'd argue wasn't especially helpful in (groans all round) getting it off the ground.

Oh I agree, it was a mistake to have Ralf just as the narrator, but I suppose the aim was to make it feel like a real documentary, which is probably why the actors were mostly people who'd only done bit parts. I'd love to see 5 have another go at doing something like Suburban Shootout, which I used to love. I think that rated well, it was so unlike anything else on TV.

I find it quite interesting that the C4 controller as a response to whether TFI Friday was ever going to come back... she answered back a resounding "no"

Just watched Charlotte Moore's interview at the TV Festival. She didn't reassure me at all regarding Bake Off. When asked if it was the last series on the BBC, she said "I just want the viewers to enjoy the new series which has a great cast and is fantastic!".

That's surely a cue it's leaving the BBC. Classic evasion. A shame for Moore as she personally commissioned the show back in the day. It sounds, just as with sports rights, like the BBC can't justify the high cost of retaining the rights.

I'm sure all the talent in front of the camera will move over. Mel and Sue are no strangers to itv; Paul Hollywood has made shows for the Food Network, so is no stranger to commercial television. Not sure about Mary Berry. Watching the show last night, you can easily see where they could slot in commercial breaks.

Always an ITV cook back in the days of Fanny Cradock and then Delia.

That doesn't sound great, moving it to a commercial broadcaster would kill the show

I'm not sure it would. As I said above, watching the show in its current guise, you can easily see where the commercial breaks would come. I imagine Love Productions are salivating at the prospect of earning millions from on air sponsorship deals with national supermarkets also.

More odd is how the Love Productions franchise - "Sewing Bee", "Pottery Throwdown" - is going to fit elsewhere but they're probably just seen as small change for Love.

She is in the middle of a multi million pound contract negotiation. Including all the spin offs, pottery throw down, sewing bee etc You're talking at least £65m over 3 years. Do you know anything about negotiating?

What are you expecting her to say?

"Im really desperate to keep it"
"I'll pay whatever they demand of me"
"Pls don't go to ITV, I'm begging you"

I couldn't stand to watch it with commercial breaks the natural flow of the show would be ruined. I'd be gutted if it moved

Oh I wish it was going to ITV (it won't) just to see the meltdown from Jay...

I wouldn't watch it if it moved either. And if Mel and Sue moved with it, I'd be furious, considering how much they told the Government that the BBC is the be all and end all when it comes to broadcasters.

Dawn French is to host Big Little Shots for ITV4

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press...-big-shots-itv

ITV has also commissioned Harry Hill's Fun Capsule for 2017

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press...en-fun-capsule

Its good to see ITV use other presenters outside of the usual. Vernon Kay looks to be out of the running on ITV.

No. But equally she could have said "It would be unwise of me to comment at the present time because we're in the middle of negotiations." Moore's comment was more of the waving-the-white-flag, "enjoy it while it lasts" variety, as if the BBC has walked away.

I'm not sure about a meltdown but I do think the BBC would be stupid to so readily give up such a hugely successful show that they've helped to build up. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea and the BBC has to do what is ultimately right for the licence fee payer but still.

It won't move, how many British homegrown ongoing series move channels?

Yes The Voice moved, but that doesn't open the doors for every show on TV to move channels. The Voice was always more controversial being on the BBC in any case and they did end up owning the production company.

It's just a load of tabloid talk and faux outrage.

ITWILL NOT MOVE TO ITV!! I garuntee it. I imagine talks are still on-going. It is a BBC show through and through. It might be able to rate well on ITV and continue, but it just wouldn't feel right.

Mel & Sue did a chat show on ITV not the BBC. So it does suggests they are willing to move channels.

This is what she said:

"Well, we are currently in negotiations (which sounded more like a mumble - and she didn't look comfortable) but, I just want viewers to enjoy the new series, which has a great cast and is fantastic!"

Exactly, she wants to make sure her hand is as strong as possible.

Of course it won't move. Like you say, it's part of a bigger deal and ITV wouldn't want all the other shows like Pottery Throwdown. It's a very different situation to The Voice.

Speaking of ITV, I've really liked what I've seen/heard from Kevin Lygo over the past day or two. Sounds like he wants to try lots of new things and shake up the schedule. Of course they're will be flops along the way but nice to see some energy there.

He confirmed that Dawn French will be hosting the UK version of Little Big Shots.

A bit more on what Ben Frow (C5) had to say at the TV Fest, via Broadcast:


Sounds good. Looking forward to hearing more about the scripted drama. Also, a plea to the indies:


http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/b...ontentID=43808

Has Kevin Lygo been asked why he's added an extra episode of Corrie despite YOY declines still. Usually at these things, the TV bosses use the excuse that the reason they've upped the no of episodes is because the show has increased in ratings. But Corrie is still going down. Its lost about 2m from 2013.

Its the most stupid time ITV could have greenlit a sixth ep of Corrie

He's right. Every time we pitch shows we almost never pitch an 8pm show, it's a weird thing because it's kind of halfway between "family" and "adult" telly, so you're a bit limited to what you can do. That's why most indies (or at least the one I work for) pitch for 9pm shows. Having said that, Waterloo Road was a big success and Channel 4 have just commissioned a new returning drama at 8pm called 'The ABC' so maybe things are changing.

ITV could easily take the pottery/sewing spin offs and put them on ITV 3.

Even if Bake Off bombs on ITV, they will have succeeded in destroying the BBC's biggest show. Will be very, very sad to see that happen but ITV certainly have the money.

Well he's hardly going to say "where else can you get a guaranteed 6.5m viewers each and every Sunday through the year so cheaply" is he? Adding an extra episode of Corrie will cost barely anything in the scheme of things and, as I said, it's pretty much a guaranteed audience 52 sundays a year.

Ben Frow's full Meet The Controller session has now been uploaded here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srU0ZT8-SD4


Interesting insight. Good to have someone from the production sector on the thread! Welcome, by the way.