Writers, Mozza and Cocker get 'South Bank' treatment

ITV has unveiled its line-up for the 30th series of The South Bank Show, which begins this month.

The season includes a new signature series Travels in Written Britain, which begins filming in May, and sees presenter Melvyn Bragg travel through Britain, looking at how writers have reflected the natural and man-made landscape, and the lives of their people.

The South Bank Show season begins on Sunday January 28, with The South Bank Show Awards , followed the next week by a profile and discussion of the work and life of the poet W.H.Auden by Alan Bennett, Shirley Williams and Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.

Other profiles lined for the year include musician Jarvis Cocker, actress June Whitfield, comedian Victoria Wood, artist Mark Wallinger, film makers Baz Lurhrman and Tim Burton, and a second SBS for Morrissey, who was first profiled by the arts show in 1987, just as his iconic band The Smiths were about to split.

ITV director of television, Simon Shaps, said “The South Bank Show is on terrific form and I am very pleased to extend ITV’s commitment to The South Bank Show and Melvyn Bragg until the end of 2009."

The show will also be the first ITV1 programme to be available on the internet in both podcast and vodcast format at www.itv.com/southbank.

Presenter and edited by Melvyn Bragg said “I’m delighted that we have three years ahead of us for The South Bank Show. Looking back at the last year, The South Bank Show is one of the very few programmes to hold its slot and not lose its audience share. The team is young and in cracking form, and I look forward to taking them round the next lap”.

Recently joined executive chairman Michael Grade signed Bragg for ITV in the summer of 1977 when working for London Weekend Television. The first ever programme was shown on ITV on January 14 1978 and profiled Paul McCartney and Gerald Scarfe.