Wire In The Blood axed from ITV

Feb 6 2009 by Katy Simpson, The Journal

Dismay at decision to kill off crime series

NORTHERN Film & Media has been inundated with concerned calls from figures both in and outside the industry following the decision to axe Wire in the Blood.

Top TV writer and Sunderland professor Michael Chaplin, whose credits include Monarch of the Glen and Dalziel and Pascoe, said: "This is obviously very bad news for Coastal, TV professionals in the region and the film and TV industry as a whole. We have just lost the last remaining returning TV series produced in the region and the consequences are obvious and serious."

Dave Anderson, MP for Blaydon, said: "I personally fear that this all part of part of ITV’s drive to cut costs and compete with other broadcasters on a lowest common denominator basis. I urge them to have a rethink and for Ofcom to urgently look into this matter of our region disappearing from national screens."

Peter Atkinson, MP for Hexham, said: "To lose this jewel in the crown, which is filmed and produced in Newcastle and Northumberland, is a sad example of the gradual decline of support for network TV production in the North East.

"I hope today’s announcement acts as a catalyst for local action in support of Northern Film & Media’s campaign to bring more TV production here."

Location manager Gareth Williams, who worked on Wire in the Blood among other projects, said: "We have reached a critical sparseness of commissioning in the North East now that threatens to kill off any prospect of a recovery.

"There are a couple of hundred highly talented and very experienced TV and film professionals in the region and many more hundreds of talented, educated and enthusiastic young hopefuls.

"But every time we have an immodest gap in commissioning we lose half of our skills base. It takes 10 years to replace them."

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