And when Black Work finishes on Sunday there does not appear to be any new dramas planned until September
That's the same as last year when outside the soaps they didn't show a single new drama between June and September. Amazing considering how much drama has been pivotal to ITV's success over the years.
go back the 80s and the summer dramas were usually STV, HTV, Anglia productions.
Its not a good return on investment to put out new drama in the summer in the multi-channel era. Audiences are well down as is advertising and drama is expensive hence the flooding of cheap factual in the schedule.
This period didn't feel as bad last year due to the World Cup filling the schedules.
It's a shame in some ways that ITV3 has such a large audience, as ITV have a terrific archive which could be used to great effect during the summer months on the main channel.
Indeed, programmes struggle to make an impact at the best of times these days, so factor in hot weather and people being on holiday and they are on a hiding to nothing before they start.
I think BBC1 are airing 3 dramas a week at the moment and 2 have flopped, and that's BBC1!
Not sure if it's been mentioned but ITV have commissioned a new series of Supermarket Sweep, this time without Dale Winton. Due to air later in the year. Don't get too excited, the contestant call ended on July 1st.
