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December 13th. ITV have released their new winter schedule lineup featuring returns of old favourites, saturday night takeaway, fat friends, and 2DTV as well as many new ones...
ITV UNVEILS WINTER 2004 PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
ITV today announced its Winter 2004 programme schedule with a rich mix of drama, comedy, entertainment and factual programming for the upcoming season.
It’s a time of change for ITV and the New Year will finally see the channel become one as the merger takes place. One thing that will not change is its commitment to putting the best programmes possible on screen and this will also be made possible with an increased programme budget for 2004.
ITV1’s Entertainment line up for the Winter Season begins with a make over for Saturday nights. DAVINA MACALL’s new dating show Love on a Saturday Night, will be a huge live event with studio based fun and games, outside broadcasts and plenty of surprises – and not just for contestants in the studio.
The Winter weekends will also see the return of ANT AND DEC’S Saturday Night Take Away with more ‘Undercover operations’, more cheekiness from Little Ant and Dec, more games and challenges and, of course, more chances to win the ads.
And the Great British Driving Test will attempt to answer the age old question: who really are better drivers – men or women? Are women safer behind the wheel and is there really such a thing as a typical woman driver? We’ll find out in this live, interactive special.
To keep the nation laughing through the cold winter months ITV also adds great new Comedy to the line up. Director’s Commentary is an hilarious new series where award winning comedy actor ROB BRYDEN gives a spoof commentary - in the style of director’s comments now popular on DVD – over classic TV shows.
There will also be a second series of Simon Nye’s sitcom Hardware, starring MARTIN FREEMAN of The Office fame as well as more topical satire from 2D-TV.
2003 has been a phenomenal year for ITV Drama - 27 of the 30 most watched new dramas were on ITV and this winter sees a whole new slate of original programmes.
Making Waves, from the producers of Soldier Soldier and starring ALEX FERNS (Eastenders), will take us into the intense world of the modern Royal Navy and the highly charged lives of the men and women who live and work on board the frigate HMS Suffolk.
From the writer of Cold Feet comes a new comedy drama Life Begins, starring CAROLINE QUENTIN as a happily married woman who suddenly finds herself with no husband, no money and no job and has to start picking up the pieces.
Mine All Mine is a charming new series from the inimitable Russell T Davies in which GRIFF RHYS JONES plays Max Vivaldi, a daydreaming Welshman who suddenly discovers that he actually does own the whole of Swansea.
And Wall of Silence is a powerful new drama based on the real life murder of a teenager beaten to death on a south London housing estate. JAMES NESBITT stars as the boy’s father who went to extraordinary lengths to break down the wall of silence encountered by the investigation, and to encourage witnesses to come forward and bring his son’s killers to justice.
Those Footballers’ Wives will be back with more glamour, designer clothes and cat fights. And ITV are delighted to reunite MARTIN CLUNES and JULIE GRAHAM in the second series of William and Mary. The Fat Friends will also be back at the diet club, still battling against the pounds.
A strong factual line up completes the Winter picture and includes a wide mix of programming from historical documentary to observational documentary and factual entertainment.
When Hitler Invaded Britain takes a chilling look at how life might have been if a German invasion had become reality in 1940. And in Churchill, a three part series detailing the complexities of the celebrated politician, ITV1 strip’s away the myth from the reality to create an intimate portrait of WINSTON CHURCHILL.
Cosmetic Kids explores the growing popularity of plastic surgery among children and teenagers; and Taxi follows the lives of Manchester’s mini cab drivers and their roster of punters from celebrities to bores to expectant mothers and lager louts.
In First Love Second Chance ITV reunites people with their first love to see what will happen and if the spark is still there, and Domestic Army is a fascinating documentary special looking at the growing phenomenon of home helps, nannies and cleaners in 21st century Britain.
And for itv2, the fun also continues...
So will it be a happy new year for itv?
ITV PRESS RELEASE posted:
ITV UNVEILS WINTER 2004 PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
ITV today announced its Winter 2004 programme schedule with a rich mix of drama, comedy, entertainment and factual programming for the upcoming season.
It’s a time of change for ITV and the New Year will finally see the channel become one as the merger takes place. One thing that will not change is its commitment to putting the best programmes possible on screen and this will also be made possible with an increased programme budget for 2004.
ITV1’s Entertainment line up for the Winter Season begins with a make over for Saturday nights. DAVINA MACALL’s new dating show Love on a Saturday Night, will be a huge live event with studio based fun and games, outside broadcasts and plenty of surprises – and not just for contestants in the studio.
The Winter weekends will also see the return of ANT AND DEC’S Saturday Night Take Away with more ‘Undercover operations’, more cheekiness from Little Ant and Dec, more games and challenges and, of course, more chances to win the ads.
And the Great British Driving Test will attempt to answer the age old question: who really are better drivers – men or women? Are women safer behind the wheel and is there really such a thing as a typical woman driver? We’ll find out in this live, interactive special.
To keep the nation laughing through the cold winter months ITV also adds great new Comedy to the line up. Director’s Commentary is an hilarious new series where award winning comedy actor ROB BRYDEN gives a spoof commentary - in the style of director’s comments now popular on DVD – over classic TV shows.
There will also be a second series of Simon Nye’s sitcom Hardware, starring MARTIN FREEMAN of The Office fame as well as more topical satire from 2D-TV.
2003 has been a phenomenal year for ITV Drama - 27 of the 30 most watched new dramas were on ITV and this winter sees a whole new slate of original programmes.
Making Waves, from the producers of Soldier Soldier and starring ALEX FERNS (Eastenders), will take us into the intense world of the modern Royal Navy and the highly charged lives of the men and women who live and work on board the frigate HMS Suffolk.
From the writer of Cold Feet comes a new comedy drama Life Begins, starring CAROLINE QUENTIN as a happily married woman who suddenly finds herself with no husband, no money and no job and has to start picking up the pieces.
Mine All Mine is a charming new series from the inimitable Russell T Davies in which GRIFF RHYS JONES plays Max Vivaldi, a daydreaming Welshman who suddenly discovers that he actually does own the whole of Swansea.
And Wall of Silence is a powerful new drama based on the real life murder of a teenager beaten to death on a south London housing estate. JAMES NESBITT stars as the boy’s father who went to extraordinary lengths to break down the wall of silence encountered by the investigation, and to encourage witnesses to come forward and bring his son’s killers to justice.
Those Footballers’ Wives will be back with more glamour, designer clothes and cat fights. And ITV are delighted to reunite MARTIN CLUNES and JULIE GRAHAM in the second series of William and Mary. The Fat Friends will also be back at the diet club, still battling against the pounds.
A strong factual line up completes the Winter picture and includes a wide mix of programming from historical documentary to observational documentary and factual entertainment.
When Hitler Invaded Britain takes a chilling look at how life might have been if a German invasion had become reality in 1940. And in Churchill, a three part series detailing the complexities of the celebrated politician, ITV1 strip’s away the myth from the reality to create an intimate portrait of WINSTON CHURCHILL.
Cosmetic Kids explores the growing popularity of plastic surgery among children and teenagers; and Taxi follows the lives of Manchester’s mini cab drivers and their roster of punters from celebrities to bores to expectant mothers and lager louts.
In First Love Second Chance ITV reunites people with their first love to see what will happen and if the spark is still there, and Domestic Army is a fascinating documentary special looking at the growing phenomenon of home helps, nannies and cleaners in 21st century Britain.
And for itv2, the fun also continues...
ITV PRESS RELEASE posted:
ITV2 celebrates continued success as the fastest growing station in multi-channel homes for the second year running. Over 8.5m viewers tune into ITV2 every week, this has elevated the station to become the second most popular non-terrestrial entertainment channel in 2003 behind only Sky One. Over the Winter period, the ITV2 schedule will showcase a collection of ITV1 brand extensions, blockbuster movies, premium sport and unique commissions, including a new series of ITV2’s popular Celebrities Exposed strand.
So will it be a happy new year for itv?