I'm "torn" between BBC and ITV, admits Christine
The One Show presenter Christine Bleakley has admitted she is "torn" between a multi-million pound offer to join ITV, and one to remain at the BBC. The Mirror reports that 31-year-old has reportedly been offered the chance to join former co-host Adrian Chiles on GMTV, with a contract that includes a £6m salary and 10 weeks holiday a year. But according to the paper the BBC are tempting her to stay with a new multi-million pound deal to host The One Show, as well as a chance to earn extra money for hosting new Saturday night shows. "My contract with the BBC ends shortly," Christine said. "I'm flattered to have received great offers from both the BBC and ITV, which I now have to decide between. I am torn." "On one hand I am really keen to work again with Adrian. We have a brilliant relationship on and off screen, although I can't say I'd relish the idea of dealing with him at 5am every morning! "On the other hand the BBC is incredibly good to me and I'm close to everyone on The One Show, which I love presenting. A BBC spokesman said they would be discussing future projects with Christine in due course. "We are keen to have Christine working on GMTV," an ITV spokesman added. "Her and Adrian would be the dream ticket. Adrian will have a lot of time off because of his hosting of the Champions League, so we want to give Christine time off too."
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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.
An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.