Networked ITV - 1990s and before...

It's rare but it did occasionally happen. I can think of at least two occasions when a Tyne Tees, a small company, produced local drama -- once in 1990 (a co-production with TVS that I do not recall the name of), and once in 1997 (Quayside -- a soap which was co-produced with YTV).

Other stations doubtless did this as well from time to time. But the point is; in its local area any ITV station could (and technically still can) produce and show whatever it pleased to its own audience, and at whatever time it chose.

As to the formula for payment for network programmes, it was certainly the case that smaller stations paid less -- I think the formula was based on the advertising potential of each region, so for example YTV, having an advertising potential around 2.5 times that of Tyne Tees, would be paying 2.5 times as much to the network as a broad estimate.

Yes, it was made by every company apart from the Big Five, TVS (as they did Saturday mornings the rest of the year) and Channel. The same was true of its predecessor Get Fresh, although I think TVS made one episode.

On Get Fresh, Tyne Tees managed the whole format, soliciting letters (to its London office at PO Box 1000000), planning the rota and so forth, while Anglia produced the game show insert Get Mucky and Border made the studio-bound Sunday edition. There was a game show insert in Ghost Train too, maybe Anglia did that. There was also a Border-produced Sunday Ghost Train for the first series, but unlike Get Fresh which had the same presenters and the set looked similar to the main Saturday set, Border's Ghost Train had its own host in Shauna Lowry and its own set, it was virtually a completely different show, with one of the Saturday hosts showing up each week to provide some continuity.

Also, TSW once made a drama with Patrick McGoohan they hoped would be networked, but nobody liked it and so it was eventually shown in dribs and drabs in late night slots in whatever regions could be bothered, and suitably chastised, TSW never made another drama again.

I don't think STV made any involvement with Get fresh or Ghost train.

Definately, I went to at least two broadcasts of it (and one of Get Fresh), with at least four episodes being filmed within 6 miles of my house in North Norfolk, and how I got hold of the set plan above. Next time I go home I'll try and dig out some photos of it.



I seem to remember the first series was filmed at Anglia's Studio E in Norwich, but subsequent series were filmed by another company elsewhere.

They did, on YouTube there's a clip of Aswad perfoming on Get Fresh in Stanraer, which I think is in the STV region, and I also remember Look-In promoting an episode in Coatbridge, which is certainly in the region. Its stuck with me because at the time I didn't have a clue where Coatbridge was.

Border.

Fair enough. Border were massively enthusiastic contributors to Get Fresh anyway. But Coatbridge is in STV.

Thames and LWT were NOT the best of friends ISTR...

Likewise with Highway, Tyne Tees were responsible for the admin of it but production was shared by the regional companies. ISTR Border made a good number of episodes, including the 1986 Easter special from Rome. What I do recall about Highway was although it was mostly filmed on location, in its early years the Christmas editions were studio-based and filmed in front of an audience - I assume at Tyne Tees' City Road studios in Newcastle as these editions were billed in the TV Times as a Tyne Tees production.

An oddity I also recall was an edition from St Andrews, which was produced by STV despite the town being in the Grampian TV area.

St Andrews is in Fife. That's STV (central) land, isn't it?

alas not, every place north of Glenrothes ( or north east fife MP seat ) is in STV north land, but of course most people in the area can get both stations...