Thursday, August 30, 2018

ITV Choice Upfront 2018: Neale Dennett has replaced Katherine Wen as ITV Choice channel director; content showcase unveils late-2018 and upcoming 2019 programming.


ITV's ITV Choice (DStv 123) held its 2018 upfront presentation on Wednesday afternoon in Johannesburg, with Neale Dennett who has replaced Katherine Wen as channel director, unveiling the remainder of its 2018 programming highlights and 2019's upcoming shows.

The 2018 ITV Choice upfront held at The Park at the Hyde Park Corner shopping centre was for Johannesburg media and ad buyers only, but this year ITV Choice beforehand did alert and notify press nationally that it would be taking place.

ITV Choice also shared the programming booklet handed out physically at the showcase event with national media not present.

Donel Mangena (17) the British-Zimbabwean who was a contestant in The Voice UK, appeared and performed at the ITV Choice upfront.

Neale Dennett has now replaced Katherine Wen as ITV Choice channel director.

Neale Dennett who has had several roles at ITV, remains director for pay content and packages at ITV in the United Kingdom, but has added the ITV Choice channel director position.

"It is my huge privilege to have joined ITV Choice as channel director in timeto introduce the programming highlights for the remainder of the year and going into 2019," says Neale Dennett in the programming booklet.

"Over the past 12 months ITV Choice has continued to grow its presence in Africa, reaching record new audiences and increasingly delivering on our promise to bring TV viewers the very best of Big British Entertainment."

"Looking forward, we are very pleased to be building on this success with a wide range of big new and returning drama, comedy and entertainment shows."

"We will be bringing back our classic detectives Vera and Endeavour with more crimes to solve, and enabling audiences to dip back into history again with the latest seasons of Victoria and Poldark. For something a bit more light-hearted though, we're very pleased to be premiering new series Girlfriends, following the complex relationships of life-long friends Linda, Sue and Gail, and also the moving-yet-funny Cleaning Up, starring Sheridan Smith."

ITV Choice will have another season of Doc Martin with Martin Clunes, and in 2019 programming which the actor takes viewers on his own personal tour of the United States. The Voice UK and The Voice Kids will be back for new seasons in 2019.

"Following huge interest in ITV Choice live coverage of the wedding of Harry and Meghan earlier this year, we'll be taking a closer look into the lives of Prince Charles and Camilla, with a selection of royal programming, as Charles turns 70 and prepares to take over the throne," says Neale Dennett.



DRAMA
Girlfriends   September 2018
For life-long friends Linda, Sue and Gail, the years have flown by, yet their lives seem more complicated than ever. For these girlfriends, it's clear their lives have changed over the years, but true friendship remains the same, no matter how much time has passed.

Cleaning Up   First quarter 2019
Sheridan Smith can be seen in the role of an ordinary working class mum caught between two contrasting worlds - the everyday grind of suburban life and the high-risk game of insider trading.

Cheat   First quarter 2019
A psychological thriller. With two fiercely intelligent minds unwilling to back down, Cheat will keep audiences guessing from the start, exploring how far people are prepared to stand up for what they believe in, and at what cost.

Hatton Garden   To be announced, sometime 2019
This drama tells the inside story of a heist, in the vault of the Hatton Garden Safety Deposit Company in London's jewellery quarter. This ended up being the biggest burglary in the history of Britain, totalling around $200 million.

Dark Heart   November 2018
Across a stifling week during a London heat wave, William Wagstaffe, a workaholic whose personal life is as complex as his day job, investigates a string of horrifying murders in this crime thriller.



RETURNING DRAMA SERIES

Doc Martin IX   Third quarter 2019
Martin Clunes will return for this final season as the grumpy medic investigating cases.

Poldark V   Third quarter 2019
The fifth and final season of this British historical period drama will be back in the third quarter of 2019 and is set in the late 18th century and based on the novels of the same title by Winston Graham with Aidan Turner in the lead role.

Grantchester IV   First quarter 2019
The Anglican priest and former Scots Guards officer Sindey Chambers (James Norton) and the overworked detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green) forge an unlikely partnership in solving crimes.

Bancroft II   First quarter 2019
The second season of this dark thriller revolving around detective superintendent Elizabeth Bancroft, a female detective with an explosive secret.

Victoria III   First quarter 2019
The third season of this drama series recounting the history and next chapter of Queen Victoria's life.

Line of Duty V   To be announced, sometime in 2019
Set in the fictional police and anti-corruption unit, AC-12, this series is a cat-and-mouse thriller that takes a probing look into modern policing and corruption.

Vera IX   First quarter 2019
A new season of the crime series with Brenda Blethyn as the unorthodox but brilliant detective Vera Stanhope, investigating more chilling crimes.

Endeavour VI   First quarter 2019
In this British detective drama series Shaun Evans portrays the young Endeavour Morse, beginning his career as a detective constable, and later as detective sargeant, with the Oxford City Police.

Murdoch Mysteries XII   Second quarter 2019
Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century, this drama series explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), a methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative techniques to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders.

Shetland IV   To be announced, sometime in 2019
Crime writer Ann Cleeves' best-selling detective series returns for a 4th season. Set in the remote Scottish Shetland Islands, the series stars Douglas Henshall as Dr Jimmy Perez,facing a gripping new mystery.



ENTERTAINMENT

The Voice UK 2019   First quarter 2019
Jennifer Hudson, Tom Jones, will.i.am and Olly Murs will be back for another season of this singing talent reality format show.

The Voice Kids   Second quarter to fourth quarter 2019


Dancing on Ice 2019   To be announced, sometime 2019
Twelve British celebrities strap on their ice-skates and with professional partners, the novice skaters must perform challenging dance routines to win the approval of a panel of judges and the British public's vote.

Wedding Day Winners   December 2018
Happy couples. Amazing challenges. One epic wedding day. Two engaged couples, their friends and families go head-to-head in order to win prizes and the most extraordinary wedding ceremony ever.

Take Me Out XI   December 2019
Paddy McGuinness is back for the 11th season of this show in which 30 single women compete for a dream date. The single man is revealed through the "Love Lift" and has to do his best to impress the women in a series of rounds in which the man's friends or family members give revealing comments.




ROYAL SEASON

Prince Charles: The man who will be king   November 2018
With 5 years of unprecedented access to Prince Charles, this documentary follows his charity causes and shows conversations about his hopes and aspirations.

The Real Camilla   November 2018
A documentary following a year in the life of Camilla. Family, friends and the people who know her best talk about her.

Inside Balmoral   November 2018
Exploring the history of Balmoral, a 50 000 acre estate twice the size of the city of Manchester, which stretches across the Scottish Highlands. Cameras explore the impact that events behind its walls have had on the current owner, Queen Elizabeth II.

Royal Recipes II   November 2018
Mixing social history and cookery, Michael Buerk meets with chefs and food historians to celebrate some of the food served to British monarchs, from George IV to the present day.



GAME SHOWS

Britain's Brightest Family II   First quarter 2019
Anne Hegerty is the host of a brand-new quiz show in which 16 families take part in a knock-out tournament as they attempt to win the holiday of a lifetime.

Tipping Point IX   First quarter 2019
Four players take on the show's distinctive machine in a battle of skill and luck. Contestants answer a series of questions, and every time they get a correct answer, they take control of the machine.

Tipping Point Lucky Stars V   First quarter 2019

The Chase XIII   Second quarter 2019
The 13th season, presented by Bradley Walsh. Four contestants take on one of Britain's finest quiz brains in order to win cash.

The Chase Celebrity version VIII   To be announced, sometime in 2019

Catchphrase VI   Second quarter 2019
Stephen Mulhern is the presenter of the 6th season of this game show. Players compete to guess the familiar phrases hidden in animated clues. One lucky contestant will go through to the Super Catchphrase for a chance to win fifty thousand pounds.




FACTUAL

Second Chance Summer   To be announced, sometime in 2019
Set in Tuscany, 10 strangers get to fulfill their dream of starting a new life abroad in an experiment that could change their lives.

Martin Clunes: Islands of America   No date
Martin Clunes visits the diverse islands of the United States, starting at Alaska and ending in Hawaii.

Judge Rinder's Crime Stories III   To be announced, sometime in 2019
Judge Rinder is stepping out from behind the bench to take on real-life cases.

This time next Year III   
To be announced, sometime in 2019
Davina McCall is the presenter of this life-transforming programme. People from across Britain share with viewers what they pledge to change in their lives in a year's time.

Long Lost Family: What Happened Next   
September 2018
The show has reunited over 100 people with their long-lost relatives. In this show the series revisits the searches to find out what happened after the families were reunited.



CHRISTMAS SPECIALS

Cannonball Xmas Special   December 2018
Freddie Flintoff plays Father Christmas and his sack is soaking, thanks to four of the most fearsome challenges ever seen on water

Keith and Paddy Picture Show Xmas Special   December 2018
The comedy duo return for a Christmas Special in which they recreate the classic film Gremlins from 1984 with the help of their troupe of celebrity guests.

What Would Your Kid Do? Xmas Special   December 2018
With comedian Jason Manford as presenter, the show challenges parents to guess how their children will behave in a variety of classroom challenges and real-world activities.