Shaps: LWT model for revamp intentional

ITV director of television Simon Shaps has said that his wide-ranging overhaul of ITV1's schedule is based on the LWT model of providing entertaining and popular drama programming at the weekend.

On paper, there are two Channel 3 franchises serving London; one offering a weekday service, and one on air from Friday evening through to Monday morning. Prior to the formation of ITV plc, in which Carlton merged with LWT owner Granada, LWT was renowned amongst the disparate ITV franchise holders for producing distinctive drama and entertainment programmes ranging from Upstairs, Downstairs to Blind Date, and presenting them on air with a distinctly "weekend" style, in contrast to the weekday styles of Carlton and, before that, Thames.

Shaps, a former director of programming at LWT, said that he hopes to bring back the split but this time on a national scale.

"There used to be a very clear sense that the weekend started here," he told Broadcast. "There was a gear change and the channel felt like much more of an entertainment channel and we wanted to get back to that."

One of the key planks of the new schedule is the Friday night revamp, with News at Ten airing later under the guise of The Late News at 11pm, and a lineup based on comedy, drama and films. Sundays will switch from soaps to entertainment, starting with the new run of Dancing on Ice.