ITV chief quits

ITV’s programme chief David Liddiment today announced he was quitting his role after five years, becoming the latest high profile figure to depart the network.

Liddiment became known for risky strategies such as saturating schedules with hit show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, but glorious failures like the axing of News At Ten.

He will leave his post when a successor is appointed, he said today.

The network’s main channel ITV1 is under pressure to perform in the ratings after increased competition from BBC1.

And it is fighting to attract advertisers with the ongoing slump, although extra cash has been pledged to boost programmes in the past few days.

In recent weeks there have been a number of major personalities quitting ITV, following the demise of ITV Digital.

Chairman Leslie Hill left in June and chief executive Stuart Prebble left the month before.