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It's Mock Last Week as TV viewers face weekend of repeats
Anna Davis, Evening Standard17 Jul 2008
More than 60 per cent of programmes on prime-time TV this weekend are repeats.
TV bosses were criticised after they unveiled the schedules, which include reruns of topical comedy show Mock The Week. All major terrestrial channels, except BBC1, are showing mostly repeats between 7pm and midnight on Saturday. TV watchdogs have attacked the move when the credit crunch means more people are staying in at weekend.
BBC2 will air an episode of Dad's Army first seen in 1975, followed by the comedy Mock The Week which is based on current affairs. It will also show highlights of The Open golf at Birkdale, despite having live coverage all afternoon. On ITV viewers can look forward to You've Been Framed! while Channel 4 will show Jackass: The Movie again.
John Beyer of Mediawatch said: "The main channels should be providing original programming at the weekends when most people view.
"They can't complain when viewing figures are so low. People are going to go elsewhere and do other things. Because advertising revenue is down the channels can't afford lots of new programmes so they fall back on repeats." All four channels defended their schedules, saying they still air plenty of original programmes.
A Channel 4 spokesman said: "We have a very low level of repeats in peak time with 80 per cent of our shows original first runs. The popularity of our repeats shows the audience values the chance to see certain programmes again."
