ITV axes Comedy Awards in phone row

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It also laid the blame for a misleading scene in an Alzheimer's documentary at the filmmaker's door. The decision not to broadcast the awards, a fixture in its TV schedule for 17 years, is thought to relate to the 2005 ceremony.

The People's Choice Award, won by Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, is the only award in the ceremony voted for by the public. It has been claimed previously that viewers were still encouraged to phone in despite the fact that their votes were worthless because the winner had already been chosen.

The 2005 awards show was broadcast on either side of the 10.30pm news bulletin. It has been alleged that the final section of the show, broadcast after the news, was taped from 10.30-11pm but shown from 11pm as if it were taking place live.

Viewers are said to have been asked to continue voting despite the fact that Ant and Dec had already been selected as winners when the news was being broadcast. It is not known whether Saturday Night Takeaway would have still won if the other votes were counted.

Law firm Olswang has been called in to conduct an investigation into the irregularity.

Organisers said this year's awards, which normally take place in December, could be broadcast on another channel with Jonathan Ross already booked to present them.

A spokesman for production company Michael Hurll TV said: "The awards are definitely taking place, Jonathan Ross is committed and the nominations process is getting under way. ITV had the broadcasting rights but the awards are now open to other broadcasters."

The news comes a day after the BBC admitted four new cases of viewer deception, including one involving a rigged poll to name the Blue Peter cat. ITV has already admitted problems with a vote on The X Factor which led to viewers being overcharged, while GMTV viewers were encouraged to enter phone-in competitions which they had no chance of winning.

An insider associated with the programme said: "Dropping the show is an over-reaction. There is so much political correctness. There is a huge amount of fear within the broadcasting community."