[Keith]

An interesting case study in how to take a show that was really tired and knackered by the end of its run and turn it into something popular again.

I think part of the problem is that schedulers get lazy and opt for (virtually) all year round episodes, be that all new episodes or with some repeats in-between. This in turn can led to viewer fatigue, as well as those programmes becoming a bit tired.

Apart from sporting events until recently I can't recall the last time on ITV1 the normal weekday schedules wasn't 4pm Tipping Point, 5pm The Chase. The same goes for BBC One with Pointless at 5.15pm, as I think it's been 5 years since Impossible was in that slot for a few weeks. I don't mind these programmes and I understand they show repeats in-between new episodes to save money, however some variety would be nice.

[JAS84]

Official ITV confirmation of the renewal today in this press release. Says that it was 38% up on the slot average.

Doesn't say how many episodes, but does confirm 4 celeb specials.

www.itv.com 

I'd imagine that it's 40 civilian episodes, as the first series was 20 civilian plus 2 celeb episodes.

[Johnr]

Randomly I noticed over the weekend on the contestant application a change of studio location seems to be on the cards too...

If you are selected to participate in the show filming will take place at Maidstone Studios, Kent.

[bilky asko]

Randomly I noticed over the weekend on the contestant application a change of studio location seems to be on the cards too...

If you are selected to participate in the show filming will take place at Maidstone Studios, Kent.

Indeed, this was mention in the generic gameshow thread. Convenient to be in the same location as Catchphrase and two Butlin's locations.

[JMT1985]

Also, maybe using Dock10 studios in Salford was more expensive, Maidstone could provide a much better rate, especially if they are producing for episodes for this new run.

[Jon]

Indeed, this was mention in the generic gameshow thread. Convenient to be in the same location as Catchphrase and two Butlin's locations.

It would have been a bit of a headache had the Filey branch still been open as there isn’t any facilities in the middle of the country which would have been the most optimal location in that case.

[JAS84]

There is a Butlins in Skegness, which like Filey is in the north of England, though. The two southern Butlins - the only other two left - are in Maidstone and Bognor Regis.

[Jon]

There is a Butlins in Skegness, which like Filey is in the north of England, though. The two southern Butlins - the only other two left - are in Maidstone and Bognor Regis.

I think you mean Minehead not Maidstone, think its pushing it to describe Skegness as the North England. The point was Maidstone is closer to being equidistant between the Bognor and Skegness branches, allowing Mulhern to undertake his summer red coat job. Adding Filey would have made that calculation a little bit more difficult.

Having said all that Minehead itself isn’t that much further away to Maidstone than Skegness.

[JAS84]

I hardly think it's pushing to call Skegness "in the north" when Lincolnshire's local news show is called Look North...

[Jon]

I hardly think it's pushing to call Skegness "in the north" when Lincolnshire's local news show is called Look North...

Well that maybe the case only if you regard BBC English regions as the official arbiter of UK geography, rather than the actual geography.

If you were London based you’d regard probably regard it as the North, which is partly probably why it’s in an English reason. To be fair it’s further north than Stoke which many regard as a Northern city but of course it’s in the BBC Midlands region, and it further south than Mansfield which is also a classed as the Midlands by the BBC.

The point was Filey would be further North to the point change matters with regards to Mulhern balancing the his Butlins work and his work on DOND. Either way this whole conversation is based on a rather silly premise.