Subscription Channels

Television X - The Fantasy Channel, with its upbeat presentation and irreverent humour, has firmly established a unique role in British television. As an OFCOM-regulated channel it combines adult movies with its own comedies and studio presentations. The channel can be received by all of the satellite and cable-viewing population, as well as all digital terrestrial television viewers, catering for a much wider market than anything previously broadcast in this sector. The launch in 2003 of bonus channels has significantly increased the number of new customers and greatly improved subscriber retention.

Pay-per-night Channels

Building upon the achievements of the Fantasy Channel, Northern & Shell expanded into the pay-per-night market with equal success. With the Red Hot channels, viewers register and purchase via their remote control handset. Interactive and Red Button services give the easy access that is the key to high viewing figures. Market leadership on the Sky platform has been maintained by offering eight channels for one per-night price; a policy which has boosted take-up and customer satisfaction. The services are carried by the two cable television providers Telewest and NTL. As with the subscription channel, digital terrestrial provides the newest opportunity for expansion. The services combine to reach a potential audience of about 15million.

The £20m cost-cutting drive is past of an "ambitious new investment plan that will see the channel go toe-to-toe with the biggest players in the TV world," a statement from the channel added.

The savings are expected to lead to between 60 and 80 other job losses, in a company of about 300 employees.

Staff will also be relocated from London's Covent Garden to the Northern & Shell premises in Lower Thames Street in the city and in the Docklands area.

Footballer-turned-presenter Ian Wright has been axed from TV show Live From Studio Five.

Broadcaster Five said his contract had been "coming to an end and the decision was taken not to renew it".

Viewers watched on Thursday evening as co-presenters Jayne Middlemiss and Kate Walsh announced his departure.

A source close to Wright said he had fallen out with the show's bosses after refusing to promote Five talent show Don't Stop Believing on the programme.

The source told BBC News the former footballer was not a fan of the Saturday night talent show, described by Five as a "showcase of choirs, musical performance groups and singing extravaganzas".

"His contract was due to end in the middle of September but they decided not to renew it," the source said.

"It was a combination of the two things - he wasn't prepared to go on and lie and, as a result, they decided not to renew his contract."

Middlemiss, speaking at the end of Thursday's show, said: "Before we go, we have to give you some sad news - Ian won't be joining us again here on Studio Five."

Former Apprentice contestant Walsh added: "We've had a brilliant time working with Ian and he's been ace to spend time with every evening.

"Ian, loads of luck for the future."

The first episode of the show on 14 September, 2009 - hosted by the original line-up of Wright, Walsh and former model Melinda Messenger - was watched by an average audience of 490,000 viewers.

Wright's final appearance, on Wednesday, was seen by 140,000 viewers, according to early figures.

The magazine show, which is aired on weekdays at 1830, was cut down from an hour to a 30-minute slot at the beginning of last week.

In the previous one-hour format, the second half of the programme had clashed with the BBC's The One Show, which begins at 1900.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Five's chairman and chief executive Dawn Airey was to leave in a shake-up of senior management after Daily Express and Daily Star owner Richard Desmond bought the channel.