Marcus Plantin today unveiled ITV’s Autumn schedule, which he hoped would fight off what he saw as BBC1’s increasing commercialism. The main event of the schedule is the six-part documentary series details of The Beatles, which details the life and times of the group in their own words.
New drama series include Strike Force, which is being touted as Britain’s answer to Top Gun, McCallum starring Four Weddings and Funeral’s John Hannah as a forensic pathologist and from the producers of An Evening With Gary Lineker there’s a new comedy drama called The Perfect Match.
Old favourites include the return of Inspector Morse for a new feature-length story called The Way Through The Woods, Cracker is back for its third and final series, Soldier Soldier, Taggart, Medics, Class Act, London’s Burning Heartbeat all return.
There are two new sitcoms starting on ITV this autumn, Is It Legal which stars Imelda Staunton and Patrick Barlow set in a chaotic office of solicitors Lotus, Spackman & Phelps, and Faith In The Future which is a spin off from Second Thoughts. Jack Dee joins ITV and will feature heavily in ITV Saturday night schedules.
Raise The Roof is a new game show which ITV hopes will lure viewers away from the National Lottery, hosted by Bob Holness it will have a top prize of a £100,000 house.
There will be a special hour-long episode of the Bill which will go out on Wednesday, as well as the Tuesday, Thursday and Friday episodes. There will also be special three part storylines and an attempt at greater continuity.
Films shown in the autumn include the movie premieres of The Bodyguard, Batman Returns, Lethal Weapon 3 and Alien 3 as well as second showings of The Silence of the Lambs, Pacific Heights, Die Hard 2 and Flatliners.
ITV sport coverage will strongly feature European Football, which will include Blackburn Rovers’ attempt to win the UEFA Champion League Cup, UEFA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup action. On the domestic side there is coverage of local football team in the Endsleigh League and coverage of the Coca Cola Cup.
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