Christmas TV repeats up by 42% - Foster

8.15.47pm GMT Thu 14th Dec 2006

Broadcasters have increased Christmas Day TV repeats this year by 42% according to research published today by the Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster MP, has consistently campaigned against the rise of repeats at Christmas, which by 2003 had more than trebled in six years.

Liberal Democrat research for this Christmas also shows that:

• More than a third of all programmes shown between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day will be repeats.

• ITV is the only channel to not to have increased its Christmas Day repeats since 2003.

• Channel Five is the worst offender with 60% of all the programmes shown over Christmas being repeats, including a doubling in Christmas Day repeats.

Commenting, Mr Foster said "Watching television over the festive period is an essential part of the great British Christmas. Much-loved repeats have their place within the Christmas TV schedule but families also deserve new and original programmes.

"This Christmas Day's TV schedule will leave many people with a real sense of deja-view.

"After original programming increased last year, it's a real shame that broadcasters have broken their New Year's resolution to clamp down on boring Christmas repeats.

"ITV should be congratulated for getting one thing right - giving viewers original programmes for Christmas, not programmes that have been reheated more times than Christmas dinner leftovers.

"We're not talking about a few traditional favourites that every one wants to see. This is just a cheap and lazy way of filling up the schedule."