If the stories are true and there is nothing more to it, I can't believe they didn't get a new contract organised. Surely it should have been done months ago. Especially as he was pencilled in to be back in the middle of Feb after 6 weeks of the 5 O'clock Show
It could well have happened that way, after all barely a week goes by when there isn't some change in management at ITV. With the added distraction of the Christmas holidays it would be very easy for some minor exec to take their eye off the ball.
I think we may all be missing an important point here!
Remember when Trisha was 'poached' from ITV to five? The reason given by ITV was that Trisha wanted her production company to make the Trisha programme for ITV but ITV didn't want to go down that road - and as such Trisha 'left' ITV and wasnt actually poached (as such) by five.
In one of the posts it is mentioned that Paul's production company is making the new series over on Channel 4. I wonder if the same thing has happened where ITV didn't want an independent making a successful programme?
I see that article hints at Paul O'Grady's production company making it (everyone seems to have one nowadays!) - though in others I've seen that C4 will be inviting applications to make the show - so perhaps ITV could end up making it. After all they make a number of C4's daytime hits - most notably Countdown!
Also, re: Paul on ITV. To be honest I don't think ITV can afford to lose Paul in the primetime slots he'll continue with - it may promote him on C4 but I really don't think his apperance on Saturday nights would have much impact.
It all depends on how contracts work, but if Paul is contracted to Syco for the new show perhaps ITV could do nothing about it!
But then not giving a new contract to the award winning presener isn't a very nice way to treat him either!
If the stories are true and there is nothing more to it, I can't believe they didn't get a new contract organised. Surely it should have been done months ago. Especially as he was pencilled in to be back in the middle of Feb after 6 weeks of the 5 O'clock Show
No doubt the person responsible will now be looking for a new job. That is unless they are off sick and there's a post-it on their desk 'Remember to renew Paul O'Grady's contract'!
I was thinking that, how could they let his contract lapse and what did Channel 4 offer that ITV couldn't and what happens when the 5 O'Clock Show finishes? They were expecting him back at ITV.
I'm sure he could have gone to ITV and said I want my company to produce the show....unless of course he did and ITV said no.
He goes where the money is, it's the nature of the business and if you're not successful you'll be sacked, but he's not very loyal.
Well, he and any other owners will get whatever's left after the programme is mad, But the main incentive will be the extra control he'l have over the production
His production company co-produces The Paul O'Grady Show too.
One interesting thing as well is Richard and Judy's show will be cut back now, apart from 6 weeks in the summer they are on all year round arent they?
They occassionally had a week off at Easter and the May Half Term too, but apart from that they were pretty much on air all year - apart from the summer and interuptions due to cricket. And unlike most the ITV shows, they do all of theirs live.
MediaGuardian reporting today that the new Paul O'Grady show will begin in April running for six months, with Richard and Judy back in the Autumn.
While in the long term this pattern will probably work well, I do think for a first series it's a bit long - be much better to do six to eight weeks then take a break, allowing for any problems to be sorted out before a longer second series.
According to today's Daily Express (NOT my choice of newspaper by the way!), the deal is worth £1.6 million - I don't know how that compares to his earnings at ITV.
Also, the article seems to confirm that it did indeed have a lot to do with Paul wanting the show to be produced through his own company and wanting more "artistic control". Looks like a similar situation to Trisha then...
Some 'ITV insider' also criticises the network for not acting properly to make sure one of their top personalities was happy and well taken care of.
He's quoted in the Mirror as saying he felt ITV took him for granted and he didn't feel loved. He also says he felt ITV didn't didn't care about the programme. Negotiations about contract renewal apparently
had
taken place but he says they didn't seem very interested - they were just basic emails - CH4 however were much more enthusiastic.
Stroppy or what? It seems to me like he left ITV because they refused to massage his ego, call him Sir Paul and bow before him. it will be interesting to see if his carear follows the same pattern as R&J and Trisha...down! The audience is bound to halve - all those screeching housewives in the studio who get ecstatic over a microwave ping are too thick to count to 4
