Scottish Passport Returning to TV Screens

The popular holidays programme, Scottish Passport, is returning to the STV schedule, as part of a raft of new programmes for 2012.

This morning, the broadcaster also announced a new film series, with Grant Lauchlan; a two-part programme on the weather, being presented by Sean Batty; and Animal 999 – a series following the work of the SSPCA.

Next year will also see the broadcast of Kidnap and Ransom, a drama starring John Hannah; a further series of Above Suspicion and a third series of Downton Abbey.

A four-part drama, Titanic, is also being broadcast.

Scottish Passport will be running for six weeks, beginning the second of next month. It previouslt ran from 1993-2004.

The new, nightly current affairs series, Scotland Tonight, has been commissioned to run through 2012 following a successful launch in October.

In a STV statement, Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels, is quoted, as saying: “We’ve an exciting line-up of programming for 2012, including a fantastic mix of network production and original Scottish production. It’s important to us that our schedule is distinct and that we’re encouraging original production in Scotland, presenting a fantastic mix for our viewers both on-air and online.

“STV is the best watched peak time station in Scotland, with seven out of ten Scots watching each week. Indeed, eight of the top ten best-watched programmes in Scotland were broadcast on STV this year. We want to continue this success in 2012.”