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ITV £173m Autumn Schedule

ITV has just announced details of its new £173m programme schedule for the autumn – a line up which aims to increase ITV’s audience by targeting more younger, upmarket viewers.
Speaking at a press conference this morning, network director, Marcus Plantin stressed the need for ITV to stay on its toes and not become complacent because of a ratings lead over BBC. He points out that this schedule has been carefully designed to meet the demands of the new commercial, multi-channel environment.
Drama continues to provide the backbone of this latest schedule with new series of Soldier,Soldier, Heartbeat, London’s Burning, Prime Suspect, and Taggart along with a list of newly commissioned dramas including Robbie Coltrane starring in Cracker, Dennis Waterman as an SAS officer in Circle of Deceit and an intense drama starring Sean Bean and Amanda Donohoe – A Woman’s Guide to Adultery.
The schedule caters for those rainy autumn Saturday nights with block- busters like The War of the Roses, Total Recall and Pretty Woman as well as top sporting events including the Benn vs Eubank title fight.
Popular entertainment sees the return of successful shows like Gladiators, Blind Date and Dame Edna’s Neighbourhood Watch.
Wednesday night is football night this autumn, including England’s qualifying match with Holland, and Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers in the European Cup. Football will also feature strongly on Sunday afternoons with regional coverage of matches from the football league.
New entertainment shows include Simon Cadell in Downwardly Mobile, and Chris Tarrant hosting a new concept game show – Lose a Million.
As predicted earlier this year, repeats of top soaps, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Home & Away will be given lunchtime screenings the day after each transmission.
“I have concentrated on those parts of the schedule where ITV has been less than effective in delivering audiences of sufficient quality and quantity in the past” Plantin says today “and strengthened them with established audience winners and imaginative new ideas”.