ITV Will Not Screen Comedy Awards

In a shock announcement, ITV has revealed that it will not be broadcasting this year’s British Comedy Awards, after yet more allegations over dodgy phone voting.

Although the December ceremony will still go ahead, ITV will not film the proceedings. It is understood that production company Michael Hurll Television is attempting to secure another broadcaster for the prestigious event.

In a statement, ITV said: “ITV has today asked media law firm Olswang to conduct an investigation into an issue that has arisen in respect of the British Comedy Awards 2005.

“Pending conclusion of the investigation, broadcast of the British Comedy Awards 2007 will be postponed.”

The allegations over phone voting irregularities first came to light in July, when the Sun claimed that viewers of the awards were asked to vote for their favourite show after the winner had already been picked.

Last year, the British Comedy Awards had a peak audience of 5.2 million adult viewers, down from 2005’s high of 5.6 million adults.

The phone-in scandals that have been rocking TV, and the ensuing loss of viewer trust, were one of the big themes at this year’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (MGEITF).

Andy Duncan, chief executive of Channel 4, said that the recent problems encountered by the industry could lead to collateral damage to other programmes (see TV Festival Looks At Viewer Trust).

A poll commissioned for the festival found that nearly three quarters of the public claim they will not take part in a television phone-in competition again, judging them difficult to trust following this summer’s scandals (see Phone-Ins Lose Popularity Through Trust Issues).

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com