ITV Follows BBC Lead And Suspends Fresh RDF Commissioning

ITV will not be commissioning any new programmes until the independent inquiry into the RDF Queen trailer debacle is complete.
In a statement issued today (Friday) RDF said: "Further to its announcement yesterday regarding its BBC series 'A Year with the Queen', RDF has been informed by ITV that no new programmes will be commissioned before and subject to the publication of the independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the BBC's autumn press launch.
"The inquiry is understood to be reporting by the end of September.
"The Directors do not consider that a pause in commissioning by ITV will have a material impact on the Group's results in the current year. RDF expects contracted revenues from ITV to account for approximately 11% of the Group's total revenues this year.
"The Directors remain confident of prospects for the full year."
The move by ITV followed an announcement yesterday that the BBC had also suspended further commissions until investigations into a trailer that appeared to show the Queen storming out of a photoshoot, were complete.
Last week, the BBC apologised for creating the impression that the Queen stormed out of a photography session in a promotional trailer shown on BBC One's autumn season launch.
Despite the RDF Director's upbeat stance, shares in the independent production company dipped over 16% on Friday morning in brisk trading.
(SP/KMcA)