Channel 4 beats ITV to sign Richard and Judy until 2007

LONDON - Richard and Judy are to stay with Channel 4 in a £3m three year deal, after former employers ITV attempted to tempt the pair back to the network.

According to reports, ITV had been offering Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan the 5pm to 6pm slot as well as extra cash, but the pair elected to stay with Channel 4.

Madeley said: "We feel so at home at 5pm on Channel 4, so it's great we're going to be here for another three years."

The pair were morning television favourites on GMTV for 13 years, before switching over to the afternoon slot on Channel 4 in a £2m deal. Their programme, 'Richard and Judy', got off to a less than overwhelming start, with low audience figures, prompting the editor to quit.

However, the programme has now settled down, with a regular audience of almost 1.9m and viewing figures crossing the 2m mark at times on the back of Finnigan and Madeley securing exclusive interviews with the likes of Rebecca Loos and John Leslie, as well as celebrities such as Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.

Finnigan said: "We'd like to thank the viewers who support us every day by watching, phoning in, emailing and logging on to the website. They certainly keep us on our toes."

Adam MacDonald, head of daytime at Channel 4, has only recently taken up his role and the re-signing of Madeley and Finnigan is a victory against ITV.

Publishers will be relieved at the decision, with the programme's regular reading club slot dramatically boosting book sales across the UK.

'Richard and Judy' is produced by Cactus, which is also tied in by the deal.

MacDonald said: "We are emjoying a terrific working relationship with Richard and Judy and Simon and Amanda Ross at Cactus -- they are a hugely impressive team. The show is on top form and our plans for the future are even more exciting."

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