Impossible Pictures offered to make a fourth series of ITV1’s CGI drama Primeval for less than £600,000 an episode – but even that was not enough of a bargain to convince the broadcaster to reorder the show.
Under the deal, the Sci Fi Channel in the UK (to be rebranded Syfy in July) would have aired the show first, ahead of ITV1. But ITV turned the offer down and a spokesman confirmed that the decision was made to help the commercial broadcaster protect its 9pm drama slate.
Impossible founder Tim Haines said: “There was a lot of talk when Primeval was cancelled that it must have been because it is a big show, with lots of CGI and special effects.
“That’s not the case. ITV wasn’t paying the whole costs anyway but we offered to lower the price further and bring in 50% of the funding with co-pro deals. It would still have been getting a show worth more than £1m for less than £600,000.â€
Haines said he “completely understood†ITV’s position, which was “not uniqueâ€. “Drama producers are going to have to become a lot more adept at financing their productions,†he said.
Impossible is now negotiating with a US broadcaster to adapt Primeval. Haines said it was likely that the series would “start from scratch†with a slightly edgier feel.
He added that he was hopeful Primeval could eventually come back to the UK, but as a US acquisition rather than a commission.
The pop star Rachel Stevens was among dozens of diners forced to dive for cover when a gunman began firing shots inside a restaurant where she was enjoying a night out.
The former S Club 7 singer threw herself to the ground when shooting broke out in Harry Morgan’s restaurant in St John’s Wood, north London, on Friday night.
Miss Stevens was eating with her fiancé Alex Bourne and members of her family when a gunman carrying two pistols and wearing a motorbike helmet chased another man into the busy restaurant.
He opened fire five times in front of terrified diners, shooting the man in the leg. A 15-year-old boy, who was eating in the restaurant, was also injured during the shooting.
The injuries of both victims are not thought to be life threatening and they are recovering in hospital.
A spokeswoman for Miss Stevens said: “Rachel and her family were in a restaurant where there was gunfire. It was very frightening for everyone there but none of the diners were hurt.”
The Metropolitan Police said no arrests have yet been made. A spokesman said: “We are waiting the results of a preliminary investigation to establish what might be behind this shooting.”
Police forensics officers were today combing through the restaurant, where bullet holes were clearly visible in the walls.
The attack comes just weeks after Miss Stevens was robbed of her jewellery by three men who followed her to her home in nearby Regents Park.
The items believed to be stolen included her engagement ring, a necklace and a Rolex watch.
Rachel Stevens stormed out of a restaurant last Wednesday after a row with fiancé Alex Bourne – raising doubts about their forthcoming wedding.
It is the latest unhappy episode for the 31-year-old former S Club singer after her diamond engagement ring was stolen two weeks ago.
A witness who saw the row at Joe Allen’s restaurant in London’s Covent Garden said: ‘All of a sudden Rachel just erupted and screamed at Alex, “That’s it. That is absolutely it.â€
‘She stormed out with her Chanel bag, leaving Alex looking very red-faced.’
We were told that even TV host Jerry Springer, who was at the next table, looked embarrassed for Rachel and Alex.
The couple are just a few months away from their wedding which is set to take place in August.
Primeval was shown on ITV1 on Saturday teatimes
Science fiction drama series Primeval has been axed after “three very successful series”, ITV has confirmed.
Starring Ben Miller, Douglas Henshall, and ex-S Club 7 star Hannah Spearritt, the show followed a group of scientists studying prehistoric creatures.
“High quality drama remains a key part of the ITV schedule, although our current focus is on post-watershed production,” ITV said in a statement.
The show had an average audiences of about five million this year.
The figure was down from around six million for the first two series.
Earlier this year, ITV announced 600 job cuts and says it is now aiming to cut a further £40m in 2010.
Primeval may have suffered because of the big-budget computer effects needed to generate its fantastical creatures.
Website Total Sci-Fi said it had been told by a source that Primeval’s production team were “devastated” but that they had “every intention of keeping Primeval alive in other ways”.
Singer Rachel Stevens has been robbed of jewellery by three men who followed her into her flat in north London.
The men ambushed the former S Club 7 star on Tuesday afternoon as she entered her flat near Regents Park.
It is believed the items stolen included her engagement ring, a necklace and her watch.
A spokesman for Stevens, 31, who came second in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing show, said she had been “shaken” by the experience.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “It’s believed the woman returned to her flat and was followed in to the premises by three males.
“The suspects are understood to have threatened her before making off with a quantity of jewellery.”
A brief statement released on behalf of Stevens said: “Rachel did experience an intrusion and is shaken, but otherwise ok.”
Stevens is engaged to actor Alex Bourne, with their wedding planned for this summer.
Getting in a full day’s worth of shopping, Rachel Stevens was spotted struggling under the weight of all her bags as she arrived to her home in London on Thursday (May 28).
The 31-year-old ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star has been busy planning her wedding as of late, as she’s set to marry actor Alex Bourne.
Talking about the upcoming nuptials, Stevens told The Mirror: “I’m going to have a proper, indulgent, girly hen party; all the stuff I don’t normally have time for. I haven’t organized any pre-wedding treatments yet, but I will be having them all. I’m so excited. And my dress is going to be a full-on meringue.”
Also offering up a style tip during her interview, Rachel said: “Get a good tan. It’s half the battle. I want an all-year-round glow, so I get a St Tropez Spray-On. There’s a lady I’ve been going to for years who is fab and always makes it streak-free.”
