[WillPS]

I've worked from a presumption that the reason ITV4 keep using the old beat up Professionals copies (cropped to 16:9 on many episodes too) may have been a way to encourage sales of the DVDs and Blu-Rays, which people will be less likely to do if they can just watch the high quality versions for free, with Network's demise that will likely no longer be a consideration and maybe we'll finally get them on ITV4.

The remasters were on Amazon Prime at one point, but like so much content on there, it ended up being something that they charge extra for.

Never discount apathy as a possibility too. There's not been a good reason why so much stuff 16:9 stuff goes out in 14:9 for 15+ years now, and yet plenty does simply because that's what they have 'loaded in' (ISTR Discovery Travel & Living being the last notable channel to broadcast in 4:3, and that closed in 2013)

No rights issues, just no desire to sort it.