Sky and Bragg to bring back South Bank Show

MELVYN Bragg is to revive his long-running arts series The South Bank Show, after it was axed by ITV.

The programme, which tackled an array of well-known and cult figures for more than 30 years, will return next year after being rescued by Sky Arts.

It was dropped in 2009 when ITV decided not to continue with the series after Lord Bragg stepped down as the network’s arts editor.

Sky emerged as a possible saviour last year when it agreed to continue the programme’s annual awards show, plus a run of films about the winners.

It has also screened archive editions of the show, which in its day featured such diverse figures as Ken Dodd, Sir Alec Guinness, The Smiths and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. However, Lord Bragg yesterday announced the show is to stage a proper return with a six-part series, which he will edit and present. The programmes will “once again focus on the works of the greatest living practitioners across the spectrum of the arts and culture”, Sky said.

He said: “I very much wanted to continue to make The South Bank Show and I’m delighted that Sky Arts has given me the chance to do that.”