Channel Five unveils new shows for autumn schedule

Channel Five has unveiled a roster of new shows for its autumn schedule, including a pilot that could turn the man who runs London's the Ivy restaurant into a TV star. The Restaurant Inspector will feature Fernando Peire, who has been the face of the Ivy for 20 years, as he attempts to transform the fortunes of a bistro in Ramsgate. A 60-minute pilot has been made and a six-part series commission could follow. The Restaurant Inspector is being made by Jamie Oliver's independent production company, Fresh One. Justin Lee Collins, who is signed exclusively to Five, has filmed a three-part travelogue in which he travels round Japan sampling the culture and food. The comedian's first few shows for Five did not rate as highly as the channel hoped, but Richard Woolfe, Five's controller, said yesterday at a Broadcasting Press Guild lunch the broadcaster "has not lost faith" in Collins and was confident he would be a success. A third new show, White Van Man, made by independent producer North One Midlands, will also go out in the autumn. Woolfe said the programme featured "an exceptionally eclectic group of people" and will put a "spotlight onto a different sort of life". White Van Man will feature drivers talking "entertainingly" about the issues that matter to them. Five has been put up for sale by its parent company RTL, but Woolfe declined to comment about the possibility of new ownership yesterday. Woolfe conceded he was frustrated about cuts to Five's programme budget but said he was confident he could assemble a schedule that would win new viewers. "In the past we've lurched from one strategy to another and it takes time. We're not a basket case," he added. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".