Special Reports: Dropped from STV
There’s been much publicity recently surrounding STV, the Scottish broadcaster’s, decision to drop cop-drama The Bill ahead of its much hyped revamp. The Scottish franchise of ITV has decided to replace the London-based drama with local programming instead. However, The Bill isn’t the first ITV drama to be dumped from the STV schedules as we reveal. We also take a look at which ITV show’s might be next on the STV hit-list.
Scottish broadcaster STV is dumping ITV shows from its schedules left right and centre and replacing them with local programming – with mixed results. The move follows STV’s decision to move away from reliance on networked programmes from ITV especially in light of recent poor performances, in terms of ratings, of many new ITV drama shows. However, the majority of drama’s axed from the STV schedules are actually good performers for ITV. The Bill is just one of several high-profile dramas shunted from the schedules in Scotland as we reveal.
Lewis
The popular spin-off from Inspector Morse, which is also set around Oxford, and stars Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox. The first two seasons of Lewis aired on STV and performed well, averaging just over half a million viewers per episode for the broadcaster, but the most recent third series was not shown. The detective drama was rumoured to be cancelled by ITV due to budget cut backs but ITV denied reports and has since confirmed a fourth series is in development however it’s highly unlikely that the fourth series will air in Scotland.
Benidorm
Very popular ITV sitcom set in the holiday resort of..er Benidorm surprisingly. A successful ITV sitcom is a rarity itself these days and the series performed well north of the border. But a recent one-off special of Benidorm was not shown in Scotland. In England the one-off special aired in May but Scottish viewers were treated to a piss-poor film repeat instead.
Midsomer Murders
Long-running, and somewhat barmy, detective series starring John Nettles which is a firm favourite of the ITV schedules. The show is another victim of the STV axe despite the series, like most of the others dumped, rating well for the broadcaster. It was recently announced that lead actor John Nettles is leaving the series which has somewhat put the future of the series in doubt – especially as ITV are increasingly looking for ways to cut costs. Some sources suggest Midsomer was dumped by STV because ITV wanted to charge the broadcaster around £60,000 per episode.
Kingdom
Sunday evening drama starring Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie and has just finished its third series on ITV. The series is set in Norfolk and follows Fry’s character, a solicitor, who investigate the various strange cases brought to him by the locals. In many ways a Doc Martin style of show but with a Solicitor instead of a Doctor. STV did not broadcast series three and at the press conference to launch Series Three Stephen Fry revealed that if a fourth series was commissioned it wouldn’t be filmed until 2010 due to budget cuts at ITV.
Next on the STV hit-list?
The Royal/Heartbeat
Both 1960’s based dramas set in the Yorkshire dales; one deals with cops and robbers the other with doctors and nurses. Heartbeat and The Royal have already been effectively cancelled by ITV due to declining ratings and production on both shows is now believed to be finished. ITV has enough episodes in the can to last English viewers until next year sometime but it wouldn’t be surprising if STV viewers were to see no more of The Royal or Heartbeat either. It’s hardly surprisingly in the light of ratings plummeting to around four million for ITV that STV could decide to dump the series from the schedules. After all ITV has basically axed both shows as it is.
Doc Martin
Hugely successful comedy-drama starring Martin Clunes as Doc Martin, someone who’s bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. The series is set in Cornwall and also features the typical bizzare locals and their various illness’ which Doc Martin must treat. The show regularly pulls in eight million viewers for ITV which is so rare it’s no wonder ITV keep ordering more but will STV keep it as part of their schedules? They’ve dumped Kingdom which has a similar premise to the series which shows that ratings are not important to the Scottish broadcaster.
Wild at Heart
Drama set in South Africa which has proved popular on ITV with audiences average eight million per episodes – thanks to good scheduling from ITV. The series was in danger of being axed due to high production costs but ultimately was saved because it’s a good performer for the broadcaster and ITV certainly needs a few more of those. When the fifth series returns to ITV will it be part of the STV schedule as well or will it be a victim of the axe?
