[zakman440]

ITV is making a multi-million pound move into late-night comedy with a stripped show that it hopes can replicate the success of The Late Late Show with James Corden.

The commercial broadcaster has ordered a nightly series to be produced by Andrew O’Connor’s ITV-owned production group Cats on the Roof Media and exec produced by former Strictly Come Dancing and Top Gear boss Katie Taylor.

The currently untitled show is believed to have been handed an order of around 40 episodes and will be stripped throughout the week across a two month period. It will launch in the new year.

It is understood that the show will have revolving celebrity hosts.

Pre-production has started with producers currently developing a range of format points. It’s believed that the ambition is to develop a number of segments that can air on the linear show and also be shared virally, in the same way that Corden’s Carpool Karaoke and Drop The Mic strands are widely shared online.

ITV is still exploring plans for which slot to hand the show.

Initially lined up as an event series rather than an ongoing commission, it is thought to be the project which has caused director of television Kevin Lygo to weigh up moving the ITV News at Ten.

However, the broadcaster is also examining whether to air the show in a post-news 10.30pm slot.

It will be Lygo’s most ambitious order to date, after he replaced Peter Fincham as director of television in January.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/i...109445.article

It wont work without a sole host tbh - over in America the hosts are a huge part of the success, not to mention the fact that Rylan's chat show with the same objective kind-of flopped.