ITV commission new DRAMA "Echo Beach" for itv2

The ITV drama controller, Laura Mackie, has ordered the broadcaster's most ambitious project in the genre for many years, with a double commission for interlinked shows to be broadcast in tandem on ITV1 and ITV2.

Moving Wallpaper, for ITV1, is a single-camera comedy drama set behind the scenes at a new soap, Echo Beach, which will be broadcast on the same night on ITV2. Echo Beach will be set in a Cornish resort.

The idea, which is still in the early planning stages, is for ITV1 viewers to watch the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of Moving Wallpaper on ITV1, then switch over to ITV2 for the front-of-camera scenes in Echo Beach.

She has ordered 12 episodes of each half-hour show, the idea for which came from the EastEnders lead writer and story consultant, Tony Jordan. Mr Jordan has teamed up again with independent producer Kudos, with whom he previously worked on BBC1's critically lauded drama series Life on Mars.

The two shows will be made by Kudos in association with Mr Jordan's independent production company, RedPlanet.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,1950967,00.html

This sounds fantastic. Kudos are brilliant and this is innovation from ITV.

I don't think it's intended to be a new "soap" as such, unless this trial run is amazingly successful. It's just a 12 episode double-drama.

The idea of "Moving Wallpaper" being a single-camera programme sounds appalling. Why do they still think it's trendy to make the viewer feel sea sick following one wobbly camera shot for half an hour

Just to be positive for once, it's nice to hear ITV trying out something completely different. They could easily have used an old tried, tested, and ultimately dull formula. It also strikes me as an innovative use of multi-channel telly.

Okay, in the end it may fail, but maybe, just mabye, it may work really well. ITV will only survive if it takes risks like this.

I imagine the members of Martha & The Muffins might be looking forward to some extra royalties too.

When they say "single-camera" they mean as opposed to a multi-camera studio based comedy.

Think "Larry Sanders Show".

so is this different to the new soap planned for ITV1?

You mean the daytime soap? Yes, two completely different things.

Ever get the feeling ITV are going to have too much soaps again

This isn't even a soap, its a 12 part drama

and the other one is only an idea at this stage and hasn't actually been commissioned

Well the opening poster talks as if its a new soap in the topic title

And the second poster points out that it's not.

The actual article does specify that it's a drama, not a soap.

why say it was then?