ITV

The magic of Granada: David Liddiment's Anthony H Wilson Memorial Lecture

The lack of training grounds for talented new TV writers and directors has been branded “intolerable” by David Liddiment, one of the most influential commissioners and broadcasters of the past 40 years with a career that has spanned both ITV and the BBC.

Delivering the Anthony H Wilson Memorial Lecture to the RTS North West, he recalled his own career development and that of luminaries such as Sally Wainwright, the creator of Happy Valley, who began her career as a ­Coronation Street writer.

Meet the contestants of summer Love Island 2023

For the tenth series, the Love Island villa has opened its doors to 10 hopeful singles as they aim to win £50,000 through public vote, and hopefully find love, and a PLT deal, along the way.

After entering the villa, the singles pair into couples and enjoy a few hours of happily partnered bliss before a new “bombshell” enters the villa to steal one half of a couple, leaving someone single. If the single islander isn’t chosen by anyone in the next recoupling, they will be dumped from the island.

ITV announces trio of new reality shows with the Madeleys, Abbey Clancy and Olivia Atwood

The first series, At Home With the Madeleys, will be the first time the Madeley family have opened their doors to a family reality show.

The series will centre on Richard and Judy’s daughter Chloe, who is about to give birth to her first child. With Chloe’s husband and former rugby player James Haskell igniting his new career as a DJ, Richard and Judy will take a hands-on role helping Chloe with the pregnancy. She’ll need to navigate the changing family dynamic, her own career, and the brand new world of motherhood.

ITV commissions Code of Silence starring Rose Ayling-Ellis

Rose Ayling-Ellis at the RTS Programme Awards 2022

Ayling-Ellis won the dancing competition during her stint as Frankie Lewis in EastEnders, the first ever deaf character in the soap. She also helped launch a deaf Barbie doll late last year.

She is now getting back to work on the small screen. Code of Silence follows Alison (Ayling-Ellis), who is struggling to get by working in a police canteen and a local bar whilst caring for her mother, who is also hearing-impaired.

The Legacy of the Black Square

Black Lives Matter protests

After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, many companies worldwide issued statements of solidarity and support, and posted black squares on their websites and social media feeds. In the UK, the movement galvanised the TV industry. Broadcasters took stock of the sometimes paltry proportion of their output they were commissioning from black people. ITV announced a Diversity Acceleration Plan while Sky pledged £30m to support anti-racism and improve diversity and inclusion. As a result, there was an uplift in demand for diverse talent, on-screen and behind the camera.

ITVX commissions new comedy G’wed celebrating the city of Liverpool

Itvx logo

At the heart of G’wed is the superficially disobeying Reece, who, despite appearing as a loud mouthed anti-hero, has a surprising knowledge of John Steinbeck, can quote Mother Teresa, and has a very mature take on grief. Alongside him is Aimee, emotionally mature and fiercely determined, and Mia-Louise, a manipulator of men who don't deserve any better.

Deal or No Deal returns to ITV and ITVX

The popular game show Deal or No Deal is set to make a return to TV. Acquired by ITV, the reboot has had a spruce up, introducing a new host in the shape of Stephen Mulhern, who takes over from Noel Edmonds.

Talking to ITV, Mulhern said: “It’s one of the greatest shows of all time and to be the new host is an honour! I can’t wait to get started.” Mulhern has plenty of experience in the presenting world, with previous game show gigs including Catchphrase and In for a Penny.

Morse: His final bow

British television marks the end of an era on 12 March. The Inspector Morse franchise finally comes to an end after close to four decades on screen. The last Endeavour on ITV is the finale after 102 films concerning the Oxford detective.

Inspector Morse, starring John Thaw as the eponymous policeman, has been a staple of ITV’s drama offering since the late 1980s. At its peak, up to 18 million people tuned in to watch the sullen sleuth on Sunday nights. In 2018, Radio Times readers voted it “the greatest crime drama of all time”.