C4 poaches Paul O'Grady

Sharon Osbourne to be Paul O'Grady's replacement at ITV according to this report.

Sunday Mirror article:
SHARON Osbourne has signed a £2million deal to become ITV's new queen of chat.

The X Factor judge will go head-to-head with Paul O'Grady in the key 5pm slot in a new ratings war following his defection to Channel 4.

Executives at ITV have spent weeks wooing 53-year-old Sharon, certain she will prove to be a massive hit. An official announcement will be made later this month confirming the deal. An insider said: "The signing is an amazing coup for ITV. The public love Sharon. She's bold, bubbly, honest and genuine. She'll be the perfect chat show host."

ITV were left searching for a big name replacement when O'Grady - who first found fame as cross-dresser Lily Savage - defected to Channel 4 to share the prime tea-time slot with husband and wife team Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.

The source said: "Sharon's a natural on TV - and was always No1 choice. At first they only thought they had a small chance of persuading her to do it, but Sharon loved the idea when they pitched it to her. Everyone's delighted she has agreed to do it - and convinced she'll beat Paul in the ratings battle."

Sharon, wife of Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy Osbourne, 57, will take over the 5pm weekday slot later this spring. She'll be in direct competition against Liverpudlian funnyman Paul after his show begins later this month. The source added: "The X Factor proved what a great people person she is. Despite her wealth, she's incredibly down to earth. Sharon acts exactly the same if she is talking to a dustman or a duke. She has such a wealth of life experiences, she can relate to all sorts of people easily."

Sharon Osbourne is unbearable in large doses, the show would tank.

I thought she did not like presenting this type of show, which led to her giving up on her American chat show series.

Is it just me, or does this idea have disaster written all over it?

I think it'll do well to be honest. Sharon's well liked, and to be honest I can't see the show being much different to Paul's.

A bit name like Sharon, though... they'll be paying a lot.

I agree. However, Sharon strikes me as one of those who has he inability to make a show her own in terms of this format, and is instead a presenter who would much rather follow the rule book. We'll have to wait and see as to whether the public would like this scenario, should it arise.

If anybody saw how absolutely dire 'The Sharon Osbourne Show' was in the U.S. - believe me, you would all be opposed to this idea!

Oh, and after reading through this thread - Andrew, please stop getting so defensive about ITV. It was disgraceful what they did with the 'Trisha' repeats and it's disgraceful what they are doing now. Regardless of who is to "blame" or who is the "most petty", it would be nice to think that a network with the size, responsibility and long history of ITV could simply move on from this disagreement and develop some new ideas.
A lot of people have said for a few years now that ITV have become unoriginal and mind-numbing - now they're obviously incapable of showing professional maturity as well!

To be fair though, her American show was very much tailored to the US market. They love the crap like Oprah, I reckon that's what it was trying to be like. She'll be able to be a bit more risque on this one no doubt.

Well, I reckon this show will flop. Sharon can't read autocue very well so ITV are obviously she'll do a Paul O'Grady and ad-lib. No doubt she'll accidently swear too much and they'll be an uproar.

I think it was more a case of the network axing her show which led to Sharron giving up her American series.

According to the ITV TV GUIDE, Paul O Grady is back tomorrow ITV1.
It does not even say it is a repeat.

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