Fincham replaces Shaps at ITV

Peter Fincham, former controller of BBC1, has been appointed as director of television at leading commercial broadcaster ITV, replacing Simon Shaps, who is leaving the company.

The move comes as a surprise following Fincham’s departure at the BBC in October 2007 in the wake of the scandal surrounding RDF documentary A Year With The Queen. He will join ITV in the next couple of months.

Shaps, along with executive chairman Michael Grade, started discussions with Fincham as part of a formal succession process. It is currently unknown why he left and if he will return to the industry immediately. He was responsible for ITV’s latest drama revamp, which included shows such as Echo Beach, its mockumentarty spin off Moving Wallpaper and royal scandal drama The Palace, none of which are reportedly in line to be recommissioned.