HTV opting out of network

HTV are opting out of the network schedule in primetime to show a Tom Jones concert.

More details here:- http://www.itvregions.com/news.php?region=Wales&content=20383

Can anyone remember the last time a region opted out of the network schedule and in primetime!!!!????

UTV still do. Kelly on friday nights would be the best example.

Looks like they'll have to do a "double shuffle" that evening, as network are running Bad Girls in that 21:00 slot.

I assume Wales will have to move Bad Girls to somewhere like 23:00 and dump a one-off programme, so they don't get a week behind.

I think HTV Wales, STV, Grampian, Border Scottish and UTV are the only regions who opt out of the network (the non English regions)

EDIT: HTV are showing Bad Girls at 11.00pm the same day

ITV1 Wales opts out the least from the other 'Nations' (like Ulster, Scottish, Grampian, Border Scotland)
Unlike the other services for the 'National' regions, their transmission comes from LNN at London' s South Bank so scope for any imaginative scheduling (like on BBC1 Wales, BBC2 Wales and BBC2W) must be limited!

Hmmm.

Well click on the 'programmes' header and I notice they've still got Granada news personalities on there [even ones sacked years ago]. How shoddy.

HTV only really opt out of network when there's a need to, e.g. politics programming on Sunday. Of course it simply cannot be stressed enough how important a homecoming Tom Jones concert is to the old dears in the valleys.

Mind you I notice also on Sunday, Wales are to put up with Fishlock and a "fly on the tomato plant"' programme about allotments instead of Deep Jungle [why?]

And if they're bored with Pop Factory already perhaps they should give it back to the BBC?

Yes thats true although that could be to do with HTV Wales being owned by ITV PLC and the other Nations are not, so there are more opportunities for them to opt out.

Im glad to see HTV Wales opting out on Sunday's now too, regional programs seem to have disappeared in other regions on a Sunday but not HTV Wales.

Caught some odd bits of the Jones boy tonight.

Seemed like a pretty reasonable concert.