“Expect entertainment shows to start small”
Commissioners should expect new entertainment shows to start small before hopefully building their audiences over time.
Entertainment commissioners from the UK’s major TV networks talked about the resurgence of the format as part of a panel discussion at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.
Love Island may be the – unexpected – entertainment hit of 2017 so far, but this year is the show’s third series following an initial launch in 2015.
The panel’s feeling was that new commissions cannot be expected to immediately compete with established entertainment hits. A degree of trust needs to be placed in original formats, with lower ratings viewed as acceptable – and even laudable – on launch.
Reboots of classic formats like The Crystal Maze and Blind Date were also discussed. Kate Phillips, controller of BBC Entertainment, has commissioned an updated version of The Generation Game – to be hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins – which Phillips said was a response to research into what audiences are looking for.
Given that Blind Date has been a hit for Channel 5, the feeling among the commissioners was that they had a responsibility to give viewers what they want.
Other commissioners on the panel were Ed Havard, head of entertainment, events and sport Channel 4; Steve Regan, commissioning editor: entertainment Channel 5; Peter Davey, head of comedy entertainment ITV and Phil Edgar-Jones, director Sky Arts.
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