Collinson Street
Thursday, November 26, 2009 by Graham Kibble-White
ITV has announced former Doctor Who producer Phil Collinson is to become producer on Coronation Street.
Here’s the full press release.
ITV STUDIOS today confirmed that Phil Collinson is to join the company as the new Producer of Coronation Street. Manchester based Phil joins ITV STUDIOS from the BBC where his credits include Series Producer for the iconic Doctor Who.
Phil will take over from Kim Crowther who has decided to step down after two and a half hugely successful years as Producer of the UK’s favourite soap. Phil will join in March to allow for a suitable handover period. Kim will continue to produce the show through to the early summer of 2010. Phil will report into Kieran Roberts, Executive Producer of Coronation Street.
John Whiston, Director of ITV STUDIOS said:
“We are delighted Phil has agreed to join ITV STUDIOS and carry on the fantastic, creative work that Kim has spearheaded. Phil is a hands-on producer, with a fine track record in shaping much loved and treasured programming and I have no doubt he will bring all that talent to Coronation Street.
“I would like to thank Kim for her immense contribution to the show. Kim’s sheer hard work and her boundless imagination are the qualities that have continued to keep Coronation Street as fresh and exciting as ever as it enters its 50th year.
“Kim leaves Corrie in fantastically good health, having increased total audience share in the last quarter as recent storylines around Tony, Carla, Maria and Roy Cropper have been delivering spectacularly large audiences day in day out this autumn. This achievement is testament to the skill and talent of Kim and her team.
Kim Crowther said: “Coronation Street is very special to me. It’s been a huge privilege to work with such a wonderful cast, production and writing team. But after a couple of great years, I’m looking forward to reintroducing myself to my children. I’m delighted to be passing the baton to Phil, and wish him all the best for what should be a spectacular fiftieth year for the show.”
Phil Collinson said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Corrie, the nation’s favourite street and a show I’ve been a huge fan of all my life . It goes without saying that it’s a tremendous honour to be entrusted with building on Coronation Street’s success and creating the must-see storylines for 2010 and beyond. Kim will be a tough act to follow but I will be working with one of the best teams in the business and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
I think ITV Studios are living in a different world to a lot of viewers. Coronation St is not in ” fantastically good health” and even if audience figures have increased slightly, as they always do in the autumn, the soap is no longer a ratings topper and on one occasion pulled in a miserable 6.5 million against an episode of Strictly Come Dancing and is currently behind The X Factor, I’m A Celebrity and Strictly Come Dacing in the ratings. A lot of long term viewers, including my mother, have stopped watching as they’re sick of the predictable plots, overkill with episodes and poor acting.
Maybe ITV should cut Corrie down to three episodes a week, doing away with the double helping on Monday and Friday, invest more in the sets, which make the show look as cheap as Sons and Daughters from 30 years ago, and bring back some of the Northern warmth and charm it was famous for in the past. To a lot of ex viewers it has become miserable and predictable.
Not sure that I’m watching exactly the same show as described by Glenn Aylett. I do agree that some of the storylines have been flogged to death. Certainly some characters never get a major (or even plausible) storyline but overall it exudes a warmth that ‘EastEnders’ will never achieve. As for the standard of acting, I feel it is better than it was a decade or so ago and is of a much higher calibre that the distinctly dodgy ‘Emmerdale’.
There are certainly too many episodes of Corrie each week though. Three times a week is often enough . . .
David
It was a miles better show when it was only on twice a week and I agree Emmerdale is worse where you can smell the ham in the acting. However, ratings have dipped a lot in recent years for The Street( still use the old nickname), which suggests the overkill with episodes and repetitive plots is leading to burnout. However, I do agree it’s not as depressing as Eastenders.