£2.7bn loss is hairy moment for ITV
ITV has announced it is cutting 600 jobs across its businesses, and plans to make other “significant” savings. The announcement came as ITV reported a loss of £2.7bn for 2008 after a huge write-down in the value of its assets.
Insiders suggest that one cost-cutting move being mooted by bosses is a controversial plan to get rid of Sir Trevor McDonald’s moustache. The idea, which is still being officially denied by senior staff, is thought to offer a possible £1.5 million in savings. However executives are wary of pushing ahead with the proposal as they fear that, while financially prudent, the move might lose too many viewers and so have a knock-on effect on advertising revenue.
Sir Trevor’s moustache has been with ITV for 36 years, coincidentally the same time that the veteran newscaster has been with the station. ITV bosses are hopeful that the broadcaster can be persuaded to front a new weekly programme which has been tentatively entitled Tonight Without Trevor McDonald’s Moustache. It is understood that the BBC is considering an offer to Sir Trevor’s moustache to front a series of interior decorating programmes if he does not reach agreement with ITV.
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