ITV: Laura Mackie, director of drama commissioning

There are some gaps in non-genre, contemporary life drama, and indies should look again at workplace dramas that could recapture the success of the likes of London's Burning.

State-of-the nation pieces are also on the agenda, though they need to be accessible rather than worthy, and Mackie is happy to take darker themes to balance the glossy glamour of the likes of The Palace and Harley Street.

She cites prostitute drama Band of Gold as a classic example of a difficult subject matter that was handled in an accessible way by ITV1.

With recent commissions such as The Fixer, Above Suspicion and Law and Order, crime dramas are not a priority, although Mackie hasn't ruled them out entirely: “I probably wouldn't order a straight police procedural, but I'd obviously take the next Cracker or Life on Mars.”

Eye-catching serials of between two and six parts are also on the agenda, but there are fewer opportunities for singles. Those that get commissioned are likely to have big name talent attached (think Daniel Radcliffe in My Boy Jack) and have the feel of mini feature films.

Mackie's desire for shows with broad emotional appeal tallies with Peter Fincham's mainstream touch and, she says, the new director of television is keen to see scripts.

Mackie is also willing to shake up the schedule for the right show, and would consider stripped dramas. She may have ordered Lost in Austen and body-swap drama Boy Meets Girl, but Mackie says high-concept shows are only part of the mix and that clear ideas are the most suitable.

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