ITV To Cut Crossroads

ITV is believed to be planning on cutting the number of episodes of revived daytime soap Crossroads from five to four a week. The soap will also be broadcast at a slightly later time than its current 1.30pm slot and will be scheduled next to new programming including a cash prize gameshow.

Crossroads original run was halted in the 1980’s but revived this year in order to boost ITV1’s flagging daytime schedule (see ITV Revives Crossroads To Boost Flagging Daytime Schedule), which was damaged by the loss of Home & Away to Channel 5 (see Channel 5 Says G’Day To Home And Away).

Viewing figures for daytime episodes have not broken the 3m barrier since the week the soap launched, usually staying around the 2m mark and, when combined with the evening showing, only managing an average of 3.5m. This does not compare well to the combined average of 8m Home & Away used to be able to achieve for the channel.

ITV is thought to be keeping its options open however, by keeping production of the soap at five episodes a week, so that the door to daily showing is kept open. Another new soap, aimed at a younger audience, is due to launch this autumn. Its title has been changed from the original Trafalgar Road to Night and Day.

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.co.uk

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