ITV rides wave of Royal interview, while Piers Morgan storms off show

ITV is poised for an advertising boom after lockdown ends and pent-up consumer demand is unleashed as it rides the wave of last night’s Meghan Markel/Prince Harry interview.

While star host Piers Morgan walked off set today and could be in trouble for publicly doubting Markel’s claim that she felt suicidal, the broadcaster reckons it is on track for a strong summer.

Hit shows including Love Island will return, though it was too early for chief executive Carolyn McCall to say where it would be filmed.

Most programmes are now back in production including I’m A Celebrity.

Profits for the year fell 39% to £325 million, while revenues plunged 16% to £3.3 billion in a year of turbulence.

But McCall was upbeat about the short-term future. “We are definitely,seeing a recovery,” she said. “Advertisers know there is a lot of pent-updemand from consumers, the ad market is looking strong and healthy.”

McCall said there had been a “bidding frenzy” to land the Oprah Winfrey interview with Prince Harry and his wife. “We felt it was the right programme for ITV. You couldn’t move for people talking about the interview,” she said.

ITV saw ad revenue sink more than ever before last April, but it returned to growth at theback end of last year until the latest lockdown struck.

McCall said: “We are encouraged by the roadmap out of lockdown.”

The company said it will return to paying dividends “as soon as circumstances permit”.

ITV shares,which have almost doubled since last summer, today slipped 3p to 118p.

It flagged The Pembrokeshire Murders, Finding Alice, The Bay, Dancing on Ice and The Masked Singer as shows that deliver the “mass audiences” advertisers seek.

Despite that,more cost cuts are looming. Overheads will be slashed by £100 million a year by2022, almost double earlier guidance.

Piers Morgan walked off the set of Good Morning Britain today after a row with aco-presenter. He had earlier questioned Markel’s claims that she had feltsuicidal.

Asked if she agreed with Morgan, McCall replied: “I completely believe what she said. We support peopleto speak up. I completely believe her, and everyone should. We work with mentalhealth charities. I will say that in very way I can.”

She declined to comment on whether Morgan will keep his job or not.

“I am not making any comment on this, do not put words in my mouth,” she told the Standard.

One reporter asked if Morgan is free to say whatever he likes on Twitter.

She replied: “Piers is a freelance presenter to ITV, he is prolific on Twitter…we can’t really doanything about that, that is that. It is his personal account.”