Programmes
The company performed strongly on programming, carrying on several ATV shows, most notably the soap-opera Crossroads and the hit Drama series Boon. Original programming included the comedy-drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (more recently revived by the BBC) and the game shows The Price is Right, Bullseye and Blockbusters.
On the second day of transmissions, Central made a poor impression to viewers when the Tiswas spin-off O.T.T. went on air. The show was hosted by Chris Tarrant, Lenny Henry and Helen Atkinson Wood. Though it did receive 13 million viewers on that night, it was criticised for being "too sexist" and it did not help that the opening titles were of a naked blow-up doll floating around the screen. Though its viewing figures would normally have earned another series, it was cancelled after the first series, mainly due to its risky and dangerous acts.
Aside from continuing the theme of ATV, Central also produced the heavyweight drama Walter for the first evening of Channel 4. A critically acclaimed drama it starred Ian McKellen in the eponymous lead role as a handicapped man adjusting to life after the death of his mother. The company also produced the detective drama Inspector Morse in association with Zenith Productions, a production company originally set up to be an in-house subsidiary of Central specialising in high-cost filmed drama, but which in 1987 was sold to Carlton Communications, the company that eventually was to purchase Central itself. Like ATV, Central was also a large contributor to programmes for schools and colleges on the ITV network.
It scored a failure however with the 1987 comedy Hardwicke House, about an anarchic comprehensive school. The first two episodes received so much public condemnation that the remainder were never transmitted.
Christmas 1990 saw Central enjoy its largest audience ever for a Christmas Show with well in excess of 16 million viewers for a pantomime special edition of Family Fortunes, produced by Tony Wolfe and Associate Producer Roger Edwards.
Whereas local news had been a constant criticism of ATV, Central invested more effort into it. As well as the east and west regions, in 1989 a third sub-region covering the South Midlands was created. With a news studio in Abingdon (near Oxford), Central News South was at the time of its creation the most automated news operation in the country. The service was launched on 9 January 1989, the opening night being fraught with technical problems. Presenters Wesley Smith and Anne Dawson co-presented the main programme, and were the longest-serving co-presenters of any ITV regional news programme, until Dawson's departure in 2003 to become a college lecturer. She was replaced as main presenter by Hannah Stewart-Jones, formerly of Channel TV. Both continue to appear on Thames Valley Tonight, although Wesley Smith's regular co-presenter is now Mary Green, formerly of the West sub-region of Meridian Tonight.
The BBC finally responded to the creation of Central News South in 2000, by creating a sub-opt-out of South Today, that is broadcast to Oxfordshire, eastern Wiltshire, and parts of Buckinghamshire.
As well as previously being at the heart of the ITV Network's children's and schools programming, Central was also a significant contributor to network sport production. Until it was moved to London (and merged with the London News Network's operations to form ITV Sport Productions), Central's sport department, under the leadership of Gary Newbon (who also occasionally appeared on-screen as a reporter and presenter), produced nearly all of ITV's football coverage (from FA Cup to UEFA Champions' League). Following its disbandment, Newbon moved to presenting full time, first for talkSPORT, then Sky Sports.
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