Premium rate phone-in saga: ITV Play Channel Axed

Premium rate phone lines regulator Icstis has today launched an investigation into ITV1's Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway as the show finds itself the latest to become embroiled in the participation TV controversy.

ITV is to suspend all its premium-rate interactive services from tomorrow and take call-TV digital channel ITV Play off air while an independent audit is conducted into its participation TV output.

The broadcaster said all its interactive services and contests across all channels would be temporarily suspended while consultants Deloitte conducted the review, which would cover premium-rate landline, mobile and red button activity.

However, this will mean that ITV Play - which is based entirely around interactive programming - will have to come off air.

ITV Play-branded shows broadcast on ITV1 and ITV2 overnight will also have to be replaced.

It is understood the review will be completed within a few days, with interactive elements returning, programme by programme, as soon as they have passed the audit.

The spokesman added that it was hoped the suspension would not affect voting for Saturday night's ITV1 Dancing on Ice talent show.

Two ITV shows - Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and The X Factor - are currently under investigation by premium rate phone lines regulator Icstis.

It is alleged viewers were encouraged to call Saturday Night Takeaway to take part in the "grab the ads" contest after contestants had already been picked; while ITV has admitted overcharging X Factor viewers by £200,000 in a red-button votes blunder.

ITV said that as a "responsible broadcaster" it was "committed to putting viewers' interests first".

The broadcaster added that the review would ensure that all existing procedures were "robust" and that it would make its findings public.

ITV said the audit would cover all ITV productions, co-productions and independent productions, while it was also "in conversation" with GMTV.

John Cresswell, ITV chief operating officer, said: "This is a concern across the whole industry but ITV viewers can be confident that we will always act responsibly and take firm action to address issues that may arise.

"Millions of people enjoy interacting with ITV - either by voting in our entertainment shows or by taking part in prize competitions. It is critical that our viewers have absolute confidence in the services that we offer.

"We believe that all programmes currently on air are compliant. However, in light of recent concern around this issue, something affecting every major broadcaster, we are conducting this independent review to ensure that ITV is meeting all relevant codes and regulations.

"We've asked the auditors to report back to us with some urgency. The interactive elements in each programme will be re-introduced as they are independently signed off. We expect the review of current programmes to be both swift and thorough. The retrospective review will take longer due to the greater number of programmes involved."

Tuesday night's ITV1 schedule

12.00 Film: The Eiger Sanction
2.10 Families Forever (was 3.40)
3.05 The Jules & Lulu Show (was 4.35)
3.30 ITV Nightscreen (was 5.00)
5.30 ITV Morning News

ITV Play: Glitterball will no longer be showing

Tuesday night's ITV1 schedule

12.00 Film: The Eiger Sanction
2.10 Families Forever (was 3.40)
3.05 The Jules & Lulu Show (was 4.35)
3.30 ITV Nightscreen (was 5.00)
5.30 ITV Morning News

ITV Play: Glitterball will no longer be showing

Does this ruling affect STV and UTV's Watch to Win competitions?