As you’ve probably heard, the Chief of ITV, Michael Grade, announced yesterday that more than 600 jobs would be cut across the ITV owned network and group of companies. He also announced that following a 41% drop in revenue from advertising, the company had to make radical cutbacks.

Mr Grade was quoted in The Sun yesterday as saying, “Current conditions in the advertising market are the most challenging I have experienced in over 30 years in UK broadcasting.

“This is reflected both in our financial results for 2008 and the tough actions we are announcing today”.

Apparently a large part of ITV’s planned savings will be via cuts to its £1 billion programming budget, which will be reduced by £65 million during this year… Read more & comment »

We reported yesterday that ITV was axing long running police drama, Heartbeat along with its spinoff shows.

However the TV channel has insisted that whilst they are suspending production on the show, it is only to clear the backlog of unbroadcast episodes, and it has not been removed from future schedules.

An ITV spokesman told BBC: “Heartbeat and The Royal (the show’s spin-off medical drama) are an important part of the ITV schedule and are currently in production.”

ITV have finally come to their senses and axed Heartbeat and it’s spinoff shows, The Royal and The Royal Today.

The old style police drama has been on screens since 1992 and will air for one more series, but The Sun reports that ITV will not be ordering any more.

An ITV insider said: “Staff have been kept holding on another series of Heartbeat, but there has been nothing.

“People on the show have been told at the moment that there is no recommission.”

Police shows have always been one of the most popular genres of TV shows; they’ve inspired thousands of people to join law enforcement, given rise to universally recognised catch-phrases – such as, here’s lookin’ at you kid – and given us an insight into how the police work, but which has been the best of all time?

There are a lot to choose from; American shows, British shows, police procedural or comedy parodies of police procedurals. Here’s my list of what I think are the top 10 police shows ever… Read more & comment »

The cast and crew of ITV1’s drama Heartbeat, are currently filming an episode for the forthcoming new series on location in Australia, according to ITV sources. The cast and crew began filming the Heartbeat special on Monday and expect to be in Australia for a fortnight.

Many of the show’s regulars such as Joe McFadden, Clare Wille and Lisa Kay are apparently hoping that the special episode will be the forerunner of a spin-off series, and who can blame them! If I had a choice between filming in Yorkshire or on the Gold Coast, I know I’d be right there hoping with them. Actually, I’d be bribing people, sleeping with people; whatever it took really. Read more & comment »

Former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson is set to join ITV1’s popular 1960s drama Heartbeat as a new regular cast member.

Nikki, who shot to fame as Candice Stowe in Coronation Street, will play Dawn Bellamy, niece of the late Phil Bellamy.

Dawn will arrive in Aidensfield on an extended holiday having been sent by her worried father, Phil’s brother, who fears that his daughter has got in with the wrong crowd in Manchester.

While providing company to her Auntie Gina (Tricia Penrose) following the death of her husband, it’s hoped that Dawn, who will earn her keep in the bar, will stay on the straight and narrow under the watchful gaze of Oscar (Derek Fowlds). Read more & comment »

Two of Heartbeat’s best loved actors have announced that they will be quitting the show in the near future.

Mark Jordan who plays PC Phil Bellmay, has been with the TV show since it started 16 long years ago. Jonathan Kerrigan has played PC Rob Walker for the last three years and will also be leaving.

Mark tells today’s Mirror: “I will leave with brilliant memories and fantastic friends. As well as acting, I’ve been producing and directing, and feel the time is right to develop this side of my career”

Replacing Jonathan will be Joe McFadden, read more here.