Fincham replaces Shaps in ITV shake-up

Former BBC One controller Peter Fincham will replace Simon Shaps as ITV's director of television in a shake-up of the firm's senior management, it was announced today.

Michael Grade's tenure as executive chairman has been extended by a year to the end of 2010 because the broadcaster has failed to find a replacement chief executive.

The overhaul also sees Dawn Airey, managing director of global content, and Rupert Howell, managing director of brand and commercial, appointed to the ITV board. It puts them in contention with chief operating officer John Cresswell to be the next chief executive.

Shaps's departure comes less than three months after a high-profile relaunch of ITV1, which he has had to defend from falling ratings in recent weeks. However, ITV said Shaps had planned to go in 2008 and had helped bring in Fincham to replace him.

Grade paid tribute to his "inestimable contribution to ITV over 26 years". He said: "Simon bows out on a high, having delivered ITV's best year-on-year broadcast performance for many years.

"It is very unusual to find a ready made successor for a job as big as this. Peter was far and away the strongest candidate to succeed Simon. His programme making, commissioning and scheduling experience make him uniquely qualified for the job and I am deeply impressed by his competitive instincts – particularly at the BBC."

Shaps said: "I would like to pay a special tribute to my commissioning, scheduling and commercial teams, who have delivered so much for our stakeholders – audiences and advertisers alike."

Fincham, who left BBC One last year after he showed a misleading trailer featuring The Queen to journalists, added: "Becoming director of television at ITV is an irresistible new challenge and an enormously exciting opportunity."