ITV Axes Quiz Channel

ITV Play, the quiz channel which has been under the spotlight recently because of concerns about premium rate phone-lines, has been axed and will be replaced by a new channel, ITV2+1.

The channel was taken off-air last week as ITV carried out an internal review of its interactive services.

Deloitte, the auditors carrying out the review, cleared some of the channel’s shows and these will be shown late-night on ITV1 and ITV2.

ITV2+1 will launch on Freeview on March 15 and on Sky on March 16. Jonathan Lewis, director of ITV’s digital channels, has said that the decision to replace the quiz channel was “commercial”.

A report on the BBC quoted William van Rest, controller of ITV play, as saying: “ITV Play programming has proved most popular on ITV1 and ITV2.

“I am delighted that we have been able to return these services following the Deloitte review and that viewers are able to continue to enjoy our shows.”

ITV launched their internal review after admitting to overcharging red button users on eviction votes for The X Factor (see ITV Joins Vote Scandal List For X Factor Overcharging).

On Monday, the broadcaster announced that it would be restoring the call-in quiz element of This Morning after Deloitte cleared the show (see ITV Review Clears Interactive Quizzes), whilst Dancing On Ice returned on Saturday (see Castaway Returns To BBC One) after concerns over its phone-in vote.

Icstis, the premium phone-line regulator, is currently deciding whether to launch investigations into alleged phone-in irregularities on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here.

The regulator is also investigating BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen (see Saturday Kitchen Goes Live After Phone-In Mistake) and Richard and Judy (see Richard & Judy Phone Quiz Controversy Takes New Twist) on Channel 4.

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com