Heartbeat and Royal safe until 2010?

Earlier today a report in The Daily Mail claimed that ITV had axed Heartbeat and The Royal, a spin-off from the 60s cop-drama, due to declining ratings. Both shows have seen ratings over the past year drop to between four to five million viewers and this was believed to have prompted ITV’s decision to drop both shows. Reports in the media now claim that ITV has enough episodes of both shows in the can to last until 2010, but beyond that the future of both show’s remain clear.