Shaps hails new era in ITV drama

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ITV director of television Simon Shaps has announced a new era in the broadcaster's relationship with drama producers as it continues its drive to modernise its output in the genre.

Discussing a winter slate that includes Company Pictures' drama The Palace, Rock Rivals from Shed and Kudos Film and Television's Moving Wallpaper and Echo Beach, Shaps said the channel was beginning to attract the best ideas from the top drama producers.

Despite executive chairman Michael Grade's target for ITV Productions producing 75% of ITV1's output, Shaps said he was confident the in-house relationship was not seen as a deterrent to indies. He said: "I am satisfied that indies know that we are open to the best ideas from the best producers."

Luring BBC suppliers

Shaps said drama producers who had previously worked almost exclusively with the BBC were now starting to come to ITV.

However, he admitted that the channel has so far struggled to deliver on its ambitions to bring fresh and contemporary new drama to the screen. He said: "It hasn't gone unnoticed that shows such as Doc Martin, Kingdom and The Royal continue to be our top rating shows.

"These kinds of big mainstream dramas are an important part of our schedule but the mix is something we need to address, with some more contemporary ambitious pieces."

He said the success of the 9pm slot was the key to the success of the revival of News at Ten.
Beryl Vertue, chairman of Hartswood Films, which made one-off drama After Thomas for ITV1, said signs of the strategy were already emerging.

Helpful development

"Michael Grade has sanctioned development money for drama, which is very helpful to
companies of our size," she said. "We used to have to take scripts to ITV and wish for luck;
now it wants to encourage a bigger group of indies to offer drama."

Box TV founder and Cracker co-creator Gub Neal said ITV had to keep experimenting with drama.
He said: "It's important that ITV tested the ground with Talk to Me - it was like nothing on the BBC. It didn't work, but ITV moved on. The measure next year will be whether there are a few things people hate - that's a good sign that you've tried. ITV still needs to find something with the impact of Life on Mars."

Elvis, obsession and the office: ITV's new dramas

ITV has ordered three more dramas aiming to breathe life into the genre and give it a more contemporary feel.

• Connie Fisher, the winner of BBC1 talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, is to make her TV acting debut in a one-off drama about an Elvis obsessive as part of ITV1's upcoming drama slate. In Caught in a Trap, Fisher plays a woman who goes on a spending
  spree buying Elvis memorabilia after coming into some money, only to become addicted
  to her wealthy lifestyle. Foyle's War indie Greenlit is producing the two-hour drama.

• Also scheduled is an adaptation of Jacobean tale The Changeling starring Ray Winstone.
  The one-off drama, from Winstone's production company, Size 9, follows a Cambridge graduate who embarks on a dangerous relationship with her father's chauffeur, played by Winstone, after she is offered a way out of a marriage she does not want.

• ITV1 has also ordered an 8 x 60-minute drama series about a group of shop workers who have moved from London to Leeds after hitting hard times. Talkback Thames' Monday Monday aims to shed light on a world of alcoholic HR bosses, power-crazed managers and sexually unfettered PAs.