Drama opt-out to strain STV-ITV relations further?

RELATIONS between ITV and STV look to become even more strained, according to The Herald newspaper today: the Scottish station is declining to broadcast a big ITV drama, preferring instead a home-grown production.

Says The Herald (here), the two organisations are in dispute over an estimated £22 million which STV is said to owe ITV, for its share of programmes made for the ITV network.

The drama is an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, to be shown throughout the rest of the UK a week on Sunday and the following day.

STV has recently been opting out of a number of well-known ITV programmes, including The Bill, with Thursdays, at 9pm, being its main opt-out slot.