One of the few strengths of Channel Five when it launched was its coverage of US sport. If you were a night owl, there was something to watch, with live baseball, ice hockey (at least before they all went on strike for a year or so) and basketball. There were various random other sports bought by the crateload, but the reality was that overnights were really going to be between News 24, the Learning Zone (learn German in a night!), or Channel Five’s sport. ITV was never really in contention, and of late, C4 has deteriorated, even though most of its foreign films end up around then.
So it’s with great disappointment that I learn that Five have done a deal with Channel Four, and are going to be broadcasting Quiz Call overnight. Initially it seems, it’s just Saturday nights. Baseball is still safe on Sundays. But once they realise how profitable gouging their viewers is, you can see those contracts being ditched and more expensive guessing games being introduced.
How the presenters on those channels are able to live with themselves is beyond me. Prostitution would seem more respectable.