ITV Daytime to keep soap Crossroads for another year

The Carlton Central production to remain on air.

Crossroads has been given a reprieve. The show has been re-commissioned until the end of next year.

There had been speculation that the motel-based saga would be scrapped after its viewing figures dropped to around 3 million. But according to the Media Guardian, ITV’s new controller of daytime TV, Liam Hamilton, has commissioned 240 new episodes.

The show is expected to undergo a major revamp as Soapstars judge Yvon Grace has been brought in as the new executive producer.

Crossroads is set in the fictional village of Kings Oak and revolves around the lives of the staff and guests of the Crossroads Motel. The series first aired, under ATV Network, in 1964. It starred the late Noele Gordon as the leading character of Meg Richardson. The series was taken over by Central Television in 1982 and remained on the air until 1988 when a failed revamp saw viewers turn off. Central had also lost interest in ‘soap’ and wanted to concentrate on lavish drama production.

The show was rebooted by Carlton Central in 2001 with the show relocated to their Nottingham studios, the original had been produced in Birmingham at the ATV Centre. The return to the soap saw four characters from the ATV era return – Meg’s daughter Jill Chance (Jane Rossington), her husband Adam (Tony Adams) and Doris Luke (Kathy Staff). The character of Jill’s daughter Sarah Jane was also included however a new actress was cast in the part.

Other acting talent lured to the Midlands saga included former Casualty actress Jane Gurnett as new owner Kate Russell and Coronation Street’s Sherrie Hewson as receptionist Virginia Raven.

The series has performed well in its slot, however, ITV bosses in London want a million more viewers for the show which is expected to launch its new look early next year.

At its peak 17 million turned in four nights a week.