Five freezes drama and comedy commissions

Woolfe said he has more money to spend at Five than at Sky 1, where he was director of programmes, but that until the economy improves he will not be spending it on UK drama - as he did at the pay-broadcaster - or on any comedy .

“When the recession ends and budgets are less challenging I’d love to do drama at Five,” he told delegates at the Edinburgh International TV Festival.

“I’ve got nothing against comedy. I loved comedy at Sky 1. We had The Simpsons [but] the thing about comedy is that getting comedy right is a really tricky and risky area. When budgets are challenged, you’ve got to go where you think you can get instant success.”

More confident

He stressed that Five will include comedic elements in its shows with presenters like Justin Lee Collins, and reiterated chief executive Dawn Airey’s ambition to turn the channel around within the next six months..

“[By then], you will see a more confident Five and an industry that understands what Five wants,” he said.

“[It will be] a channel that has created some hits, has an identity, is proud of what it is doing, has real sensibility, has brought 16-34s back and advertisers, that has closed the gap on the competition and is enjoying great success with great acquisitions and great standout commissions that put it on the map.”

He plans to rebuild Five’s reputation on big, entertainment commissions, celebrity hosts, the forthcoming magazine show Live at Studio Five, “bread and butter conveyer belt” factual shows and bought-in US dramas.

Woolfe admonished producers who don’t come to Five as a first port of call for their biggest ideas.

He said: “If you want the big bucks, we want big, original ideas. I am still frustrated when [indies bring us] big shows that have been passed over by other broadcasters. The indies we work best with are the ones that come to us first.”