Programme blow for TV Corp

PROGRAMME maker Television Corporation's latest hopes of ratings success have taken a blow after Channel 4 axed its new X-Fire show less than halfway through its first series on grounds of taste.

Television Corporation's X-Fire, first shown on 26 September, was pulled last week five shows into a scheduled 13-part run after Channel 4 director of programmes Tim Gardam decided its warlike content was unsuitable because of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Gardam ran into flak earlier this year for repeating Chris Morris's Brass Eye satire on paedophilia.

X-fire pits members of the public paintballing against a resident team of army experts in various 'conflict scenarios'.

The plots of the seven shows not being broadcast involved an attempted terrorist attack on Washington, an assault on a terrorist camp, a hostage rescue and chemical and nuclear weapons threats. Release of a mobile phone game based on the series has also been postponed.

Tom Gutteridge, chief executive of TV Corp's Mentorn unit, which produced the programme, said he hoped the remaining programmes would be aired in the New Year.

TV Corp, which last month issued a profits warning and lost long-standing chief executive Chris Rowlands, confirmed acting CEO Jeff Foulser as his replacement.