Ant and Dec Forced to Pre-Record 'Live' Show to Beat ITV Strike

Ant and Dec Forced to Pre-Record 'Live' Show to Beat ITV Strike

LONDON, April 6/PRNewswire/ -- A strike by broadcasting unions Amicus and BECTU at ITV's main production centres is forcing Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway to be pre-recorded on Thursday rather than being broadcast in its' usual Saturday night live slot.

Amicus and BECTU say that members due to start a 36-hour strike over pay at 7 am on Friday have been asked to work overtime to ensure the programme is rehearsed on Wednesday and pre-filmed on Thursday, in a departure from the programme's live Saturday night slot.

The action to be taken by Amicus and BECTU members at London Weekend Television, Yorkshire TV, 3sixtymedia and Granada will start strike action at 7 am on Friday 8th April through to 7 pm on Saturday 9th April, disrupting ITV productions in London, Manchester and Leeds causing delays and cancellations in the filming schedules of Emmerdale, Heartbeat and Coronation Street.

The unions say that the strike at the LWT studios on London's South Bank will also disrupt the filming of Parkinson on Thursday evening and perhaps the This Morning broadcast on Friday morning as staff will be asked not to cross the union picket line.

BECTU members at ITV Central (Nottingham and Birmingham), ITV Anglia in Norwich and at the company's Southern Transmission Centre in London will also take part in a two-hour stoppage from 12 noon to 2 pm on Friday 8 April.

Mike Smallwood, Amicus' National Officer for the broadcast industry, said: "Our members have effectively suffered year on year pay cuts while ITV executives and shareholders have been generously rewarded. We want a higher than inflation pay rise for our members that will begin to improve their living standards and recognises our members' contribution to what is a very successful company. The fact that ITV companies are now having to pay our members overtime rates to ensure programming is ironic."

Sharon Elliot, BECTU Supervisory Official for Independent Broadcasting, said: "The support we are receiving from members, non-members and the freelancers ahead of the action is overwhelming. Our cause is just and we look to management to engage with us positively to resolve this dispute."

Both unions will be taking further action at LWT starting again at 7 am on Friday 15th April.

The two unions have condemned boardroom pay at ITV plc where Chief Executive Charles Allen, has received a bumper remuneration package of GBP8.7m. ITV's Finance Director is also reported to be paid GBP1m a year.

Union picket lines will be in place at LWT's London studio, Leed's YTV main studio on Kirkstall Road and the Emmerdale studio in Eccup and Granada studios in Manchester from 7am on Friday 8th April.

Source: Amicus

For further information please call Catherine Bithell in the Amicus press office on +44-207-420-8909 or +44-7958-473-224 or Sharon Elliott at BECTU on +44-207-346-0900

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