ITV Unveils New Schedule For Spring and Summer 2000
‘Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives’, but enough about Channel 5’s replacement for the glorious and sadly missed Sunset Beach. ITV has announced details of its new programme schedule for the spring and summer months, which spreads either joy or dismay through the media industry. Presented from the plush surroundings of Cinema 1 at Barbican, the package featured ‘more of everything that’s best on ITV’ according to director of programmes David Liddiment.
Spring through summer months are usually the time when channels show the programmes that have been held back from previous schedules, whether they’re good or bad, to broadcast to a diminishing TV audience. This year’s treats include extensive coverage of the Euro 2000, ten new drama serials, and the acting debut of entertainer Michael Barrymore.
ITV’s drama output includes: In Defence, Ross Kemp’s first series for the network since his switch from the BBC, in which he plays a lawyer with a conscience; Rebus starring John Hannah as a hard-hitting detective working in the seedy underworld of Edinburgh; a remake of Edith Nesbit’s classic The Railway Children, this time with Jenny Agutter playing Roberta’s mother; Metropolis, a new drama from the makers of Cold Feet; spun-off from The Bill, Burnside stars Christopher Ellison as the former Sun Hill officer now a member of National Crime Squad; and Cor Blimey, an adaptation of Terry Johnson’s National Theatre stage show, Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick, tells the story of Barbara Windsor’s affair with co-star Sid James and her friendship with Kenneth Williams.
The channel’s latest comedy offerings include: Bob Martin, starring Michael Barrymore as a troubled gameshow host; The Thing About Vince, starring Timothy Spall as a self-employed builder ‘stuck in the no-man’s land of the fortysomethings’; and Pay and Display sees James Bolam returning to sitcom after Second Thoughts.
ITV is probably hoping that its recent run of well-made factual programmes will help to deflect growing calls for the return of News at Ten, with more offerings from the Real Life strand of programmes. For Better or Worse returns to the twelve couples who allowed ITV to follow their weddings last year to see how things have progressed one year on. The Final Days takes a look at the last 24 hours in the lives of Hollywood icons including Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, while Trevor McDonald Meets transfers from ITV2.
Day of Promise, part of ITV’s Year of Promise campaign, broadcasting on the May Day bank holiday, will highlight various pledges made up and down the country by members of the public. There will also be a special celebrity edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
Sportswise, its more of the same with coverage of the never-ending UEFA Champion’s League, which will hopefully still be featuring Man United and Chelsea (although the former is unlikely to be there following their quarter final draw against Catalan giants Barcelona). There is also extensive coverage of Euro 2000 with all of England’s matches broadcast (so that’s just the three then), plus live coverage of the FA Cup Final.
Reviewer: Simon Wright
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