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ITV axe sitcoms

Tell viewers to get their comedy from Corrie (February 2019)

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BR
Brekkie
Following the end of Benidorm last year ITV have now confirmed the axing of Birds of a Feather and Bad Move, meaning for the first time in it's history there are no plans for any sitcoms on the main ITV channel this year.

Not to worry though - ITV's exec Kevin Lygo says "Audiences can get their fix of character-based comedy from Coronation Street."

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/5195/itv_ends_sitcoms/


A real shame IMO - especially Bad Move which I thought was quietly beginning to establish itself and for me offered a bit of a hidden gem with their Christmas special. "Quiet" and "hidden" aren't what ITV need though.

The promise of sitcoms regularly at 8.30pm on Thursdays never materialised much further than Birds of a Feather. It's a shame they don't see the comedy in Corrie as motivation to try more in the filler slot on Wednesdays rather than an excuse to ditch it completely.
FA
fanoftv
I suppose they’re just looking for big figures from programmes in a televisual world looking towards on demand/streaming platforms more and more. How they’re going to get it I’m unsure.
VM
VMPhil
Shame, I liked Bad Move. Nice little pre-watershed comedy.
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BM
BM11
Birds of a feather deserves a final special at least.
AN
Andrew Founding member
BM11 posted:
Birds of a feather deserves a final special at least.

The end of the last series was basically the episode you are suggesting. Dorien's 70th birthday which felt very final at the time.


I also enjoyed Bad Move but as others have said a quiet slow burning comedy doesn't get you anywhere in this day and age.

The mainstream sitcom is hanging on for dear life as a genre at the moment.
Last edited by Andrew on 5 February 2019 9:39pm
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WH
Whataday Founding member
I can't help pondering whether they're clearing the way for the inevitable poaching of Mrs Brown's Boys, which has always felt more like an ITV programme, and I can't see the BBC putting up much of a fight for it.
AN
Andrew Founding member
I can't help pondering whether they're clearing the way for the inevitable poaching of Mrs Brown's Boys, which has always felt more like an ITV programme, and I can't see the BBC putting up much of a fight for it.


What a strange comment, on about 3 different levels.
SE
Square Eyes Founding member
That's bleak especially as Corrie doesn't do comedy nearly as well as it used to anymore either.
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AN
Andrew Founding member
Kevin Lygo is known for making off the cuff comments that are probably jokes, if you've ever watched his Edinburgh TV Festival interviews, but as we know jokes and sarcasm doesn't exist in today's world everything is taken seriously.
WH
Whataday Founding member
I can't help pondering whether they're clearing the way for the inevitable poaching of Mrs Brown's Boys, which has always felt more like an ITV programme, and I can't see the BBC putting up much of a fight for it.


What a strange comment, on about 3 different levels.



Care to elaborate rather than just making a put-down?
AN
Andrew Founding member
Clearing the way - in terms of what the slot? the budget? is there a rule its one comedy in one comedy out?

Poaching Mrs Brown - I know since Bake Off people think everything from EastEnders to Strictly is about to move away from the beeb, but its very unlikely

Always felt like an ITV programme - How can the show which has practically single handily defined BBC One comedy over the last decade feel like an ITV programme? I sounds like you are suggesting that because it is downmarket it feels like ITV, but maybe that is what BBC One is about these days?
GO
gottago
Is that bit about this being the first year without an ITV sitcom right? I’m sure there was a real dearth in the 2000s, wasn’t Benidorm their first one in a while? I don’t think viewers will particularly notice a lack of sitcoms on the channel anyway, even going back by decades there aren’t anywhere near as many classic, much loved comedies than the BBC, or even C4, had.
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