UK ITV Scheduling of Shortland Street

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Shortland Street is a New Zealand television series that was shown regularly in the United Kingdom until 2003. Episodes were first screened in the Central region, and were frequently edited by Central, apparently to cut out more adult material unsuited to an afternoon timeslot. Later in 2001 Central shared editing duties with Border Television. Apparently Central in the mid 1990s asked Scottish Television, if they started airing episodes, but Scottish Television declined favouring Gaelic programs. These edited versions then did the rounds of the other ITV regions.

Granada was the last ITV region to stop showing episodes, ITV did not buy any more episodes, to the anger of cult viewers. Stats showed that Shortland Street was more popular than ITV's soap at the time Night and Day, which is amazing due to Shortland Street only being aired consistently in only 4 or 5 regions. Night and Day was averaging 750,000 viewers compared to Shortland Street's 1.8 - 2.2 million

Northern Irish viewers are lucky enough to watch Shortland Street via RTÉ on Sky TV.

The following information shows the Shortland Street scheduling on UK ITV.

ITV Region
Programme Schedule Pattern
Start Date
Days Screened
End Date
Anglia Television  ??? Screened for several years in the 17.10 slot daily.???  ???
Central Television Monday 29 March 1993 15.20 as replacement for GP which had been a disastrous replacement for The Young Doctors Initially weekdays at 15.20, then ran 4-5 days a week at 17.10 for many years (c. 2000). All Carlton owned regions HTV Westcountry Carlton and central showed simultaneous episodes from January 2003 from where Central were at (it being the furthest ahead) initially Monday to Wednesday at 14.30 with Thursdays added from May. Thursday 28 August 2003 14.30
Border Television As Granada Initially as Granada then Monday–Friday was screening in the 17.30 slot during 1999, 2001 onwards aired between 2 - 3pm airing around Wish You Were Here?. Always consistent, rarely skipped episodes March 2003
Channel Television As Meridian as Meridian as Meridian
Grampian Television Monday 3 October 1994 13.55 Daily at 13.55 Ended early 2001 when STV took more control
Granada Television Monday 6 December 1993 17.10 Ran initially at 17.10 Mondays and Tuesdays. Moved to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 03.05.94 after Sons and Daughters had finished. and remained in this slot until 1996, when it was cut to two days a week until 1998 - Returned on Tuesday 28 May 2002 at 1230/1310 Mon–Fri as a summer filler showing joint episodes with YTV and TT but not from the point where they'd finished in December 98- instead showing episodes previously seen on Anglia Friday 13 September 2002 1430
HTV West & Wales From April 1994 as a replacement for The Young Doctors As Central from January 2003 had to skip a big chunk of the story as Central were considerably ahead. HTV Wales often skipped odd episodes to show regional programming instead along with Westcountry As Central
Meridian  ???  ???  ???
Carlton Television Early 1996 as A Country Practice episodes were running out. As Central from January 2003 a lot of episodes skipped as Central were good few years ahead As Central
Scottish Television Never shown Never shown Never shown
Tyne Tees Television 3 January 1995 14.50 Monday to Thursday 14.50, Changed to Mondays and Fridays from 08/01/96. Mondays only in 1997 in hourly episodes. Axed in 1998 then returned on Tuesday 28 May 2002 initially at 12.30/ 13.10 (depending on World Cup fixtures) Then at 1430 for the first few weeks of Sept until it was axed showing joint episodes with Granada and Yorkshire with several years of the story skipped. As Granada
Ulster Television 1994 Screened Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 14.20 during August 1994 never screened
Westcountry January 2003 from Central stage of the series Often skipped odd episodes for regional programming As Central
Yorkshire Television (YTV) as Tyne Tees as Tyne Tees As Tyne Tees