Report: ITV looking to poach Five's 'House'

ITV is hoping to win the rights to one of Five's most successful US imports, according to a report in the Media Guardian.

The broadcaster is said to be "upbeat and confident" that it will secure the rights to House, which stars Hugh Laurie in the title role. The medical drama regularly pulls in audiences of over 2.5 million on Five.

Meanwhile, ITV is also on the lookout for a teen soap for ITV2. At a lunch with broker Dresdner Kleinwort, COO John Cresswell said that the development of its digital channels was a "key issue".

"Cresswell highlighted that perhaps what ITV2 might need is a teen-oriented soap, like Hollyoaks on Channel 4, which brings a 'habit-forming, young audience' to early peak," Dresdner said in a note issued last week. "They are currently assessing options about addressing this issue."