Melvyn Bragg takes The South Bank Show to Sky

Melvyn Bragg is taking arts show The South Bank to Sky following ITV’s widely criticised decision to cancel the series after 33 years.

The South Bank Show is named due to the location of LWT’s studios on the south bank in London.

Melvyn Bragg is taking arts show The South Bank Shag to Sky following ITV’s widely criticised decision to cancel the series after 33 years.

The culture programme will move to Sky Arts later this autumn which will also air the South Bank Show Awards as well. Peter Fincham took the decision to axe the series from ITV – a decision which was widely criticised at the time.

Critics argued it show that ITV were determined to move away from arts and culture programming and instead focus on entertainment formats such as The X Factor. The cancellation was not the only unpopular decision made by Fincham though – more recently he has incurred the wrath of drama fans who are furious he has axed The Bill.

Melvyn Bragg, owns the rights to The South Bank Show.

The move of The South Bank Show to Sky Arts represents a major coup for John Cassy, the controller of the channel. The deal between Sky and Bragg could also see the presenter front other programmes for the Arts channel.

Peter Fincham has been informed of the programmes move away from ITV. Under a deal drawn up by ITV’s former chairman, Michael Grade, the rights to The South Bank Show are owned by Bragg and he also has first right of access to the archive of the series.

The arts series was launched by London Weekend Television in 1978 as a late Sunday evening cultural offering. LWT became part of the ITVplc group in 2004.