[Neil Jones]

Pretty sure the rights for the LWT series are held by ITV Studios Global Entertainment. No doubt MGM are entitled to their cut but I can't see any reason why it might be any less acquirable for Sky because of the present series.

Indeed VMTV had no trouble airing the LWT series on both Virgin 1 and Challenge while the Sky1 series was airing, and the two parties were engaged in a public dispute.

It's not impossible that MGM would seek to block distribution, but it'd cost them to do so and I can't see what the benefit might be?

Probably a difference between a series on a channel behind a pay wall and one that's available to everybody, and indeed the BBC version was credited to MGM.

The LWT version had in its credits "produced in association with The Samuel Goldwyn Company" (as it was at the time) although it just said it was an LWT production for ITV on the endcap.

The Sky version just said it was a Shine production for Sky One, based on a format created by the creators of American Gladiators.

[James2001]

I was about to say, isn't Shine just ITV... then I remembered that's Shiver, I've spent years mixing those two up.

[WillPS]

Probably a difference between a series on a channel behind a pay wall and one that's available to everybody, and indeed the BBC version was credited to MGM.

What's your rationale for that supposition? I can't see how it'd make a jot of difference to either the rights holder or the present series broadcaster.

[JAS84]

I was about to say, isn't Shine just ITV... then I remembered that's Shiver, I've spent years mixing those two up.

Shine was part of Endemol, so it belongs to Banijay now.

[lookoutwales]

Through the Keyhole has disappeared again - even though they're still running trails for its 4pm showing on weekdays (now taken up by Blockbusters - alas, the Simon Mayo revival)

I don't think they had that many episodes available to show, either - there were 39 across the first three series* but they appeared to skip episodes (and not just the problematic ones) quite often. By last week, they were back to showing series 1 again.

Considering its long run over ITV, Sky and the Beeb, I'm surprised they didn't try to buy in more that could sustain more than 2-3 weeks of stripped double-bills at most.

Meantime, The Weakest Link has reappeared quietly - albeit at 10am and midnight while the baffling Cash Trapped holds onto the 7pm slot.

* Yes, Liquid Gold was kept intact across all three series.

[JAS84]

Are any other episodes problematic other than series 3 episode 2, which had Jimmy Savile according to Wikipedia?

[James2001]

Series 1, Episode 2 had Freddie Starr and was skipped.

[Neil Jones]

Series 1, Episode 2 had Freddie Starr and was skipped.

Although That's TV didn't have an issue showing it, and that is on YouTube.

Savile appeared on Through The Keyhole twice, in the original ITV years and again when it was being made for Sky a few years later.

[TesTVWhirl]

Having seen plenty of showings of the Challenge trailer for Through The Keyhole on Sky Mix, as it seems to be the standard filler promo for Freeview, one thing that stood out for me from it is that they've overlaid a tiny, barely legible in SD credit saying (c) YTV LTD 1989.

You only tend to see that sort of thing done on programme promos when expensive premium content is involved (big US dramas, Formula One etc) where it's clearly something dictated by obsessively paranoid rights holders. So it seems a bit odd they've included it on some near 35 year old repeats of this. And then stuck with the original company name rather than it being updated to show the modern holder name they'll have on all the paperwork, presumably still ITV Studios this week.