Liddiment: Unveiling "bullish" winter schedule

"They moved their main news back an hour; they introduced a fourth episode of EastEnders; they have marginalised their arts and public service programmes.

"It would be an extraordinary situation if, having done that, they didn't improve their performance.

"All we can do is put forward the best competitive schedule we can."

Mr Liddiment said the ITV winter schedule was "very bullish and competitive", characterised by "stunning new drama".

"In comedy we're building on the momentum of the autumn with new shows and stars, and in factual we take on some of the major subjects with landmark series," he said.

The network's assault on the ratings is strong on crime.

James Bolam will play Dr Harold Shipman

James Bolam stars in Shipman, a dramatisation of the story of Dr Harold Shipman, Britain's worst serial murderer.

Derek Jacobi and Anthony Sher will be seen in The Jury, which follows the trial of a Sikh boy charged with murder of a white classmate.

There will also be a new season of Real Crime films, as well as the series To Kill and Kill Again - exploring some of Britain's most notorious cases of serial murder.

Comedies include Harry Hill's first series for the network and Mr Bean - re-invented as a cartoon character.

Stephen Tompkinson will be appearing in a screen adaptation of Kingsley Amis's classic campus comedy novel Lucky Jim.

Leading the drama offerings will be a remake of The Forsyte Saga - a hit for the BBC in 1967.

The story of the fortunes of an aristocratic family will star Damian Lewis as Soames and Gina McKee and his wife Irene.