TV
Johnny Vaughan's BBC Three chat show, Johnny Vaughan Tonight, has been given the axe, according to reports today.
Vaughan, who joined the BBC from Channel 4 in 2001, was positioned as the big face of youth channel BBC Three when it eventually launched in February this year. His daily chat show was given a prime slot in the schedule but managed only average ratings.
A new live show is now under development, which will be fronted by Vaughan on a weekly basis.
"The new show will be live, which I think is where Johnny is strongest. It will probably be in a studio, with guests and bands," said BBC Three controller Stuart Murphy this morning.
"It will be much more free form [than Johnny Vaughan Tonight], probably in a weekend, post-watershed slot, and it will probably have a run before and after Christmas.
"Johnny has an encyclopaedic knowledge of random things in life. He's a big enough talent to try something new. I'm not saying it's going to be brilliant, I'm not saying it's going to be awful. But it's a risk."
Meanwhile Dom Joly, similarly poached from Channel 4, has moved from the channel to the more mainstream BBC One and Two.
"I don't think it's a decommission. I just don't know where else he would take it," added Murphy. "He's developing shows for BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3. I think more mainstream stuff for BBC1 and BBC2 is taking priority at the moment."
Vaughan, who joined the BBC from Channel 4 in 2001, was positioned as the big face of youth channel BBC Three when it eventually launched in February this year. His daily chat show was given a prime slot in the schedule but managed only average ratings.
A new live show is now under development, which will be fronted by Vaughan on a weekly basis.
"The new show will be live, which I think is where Johnny is strongest. It will probably be in a studio, with guests and bands," said BBC Three controller Stuart Murphy this morning.
"It will be much more free form [than Johnny Vaughan Tonight], probably in a weekend, post-watershed slot, and it will probably have a run before and after Christmas.
"Johnny has an encyclopaedic knowledge of random things in life. He's a big enough talent to try something new. I'm not saying it's going to be brilliant, I'm not saying it's going to be awful. But it's a risk."
Meanwhile Dom Joly, similarly poached from Channel 4, has moved from the channel to the more mainstream BBC One and Two.
"I don't think it's a decommission. I just don't know where else he would take it," added Murphy. "He's developing shows for BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3. I think more mainstream stuff for BBC1 and BBC2 is taking priority at the moment."
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