TV3 secures rights to key soaps

Commercial broadcaster TV3 has secured the long-term future of several flagship programmes produced by former shareholder ITV.

TV3 said yesterday that it has completed an agreement with British producer Granada, ensuring that Coronation Street and Emmerdale will stay on its schedules in the long term.

The two soaps are a key part of TV3's programming and, between them, attract more than 850,000 viewers per episode, with half a million alone watching Coronation Street.

Granada is part of ITV, which held a 45 per cent stake in TV3 until August this year, when the Irish station was taken over by British venture capitalist Doughty Hanson for €265 million.

At the time, ITV indicated that it would agree to provide programmes to TV3 on a long-term basis.

The deal also covers the reality show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, which is currently running on the station. In recent weeks, this has been attracting 295,000 viewers per programme, making it the third most watched on the channel.

TV3 chief executive David McRedmond welcomed the deal yesterday.

"It will strengthen TV3's position as Ireland's leading commercial broadcaster and the country's second most viewed station," he said.