ITV ditches Blair-Brown drama

ITV ditches Blair-Brown drama

Mr Brown and Mr Blair make a public show of unity

A TV drama about a legendary dinner when Gordon Brown agreed to stand aside and give Tony Blair a clear run at the Labour leadership has been dropped by ITV.

The broadcaster says it pulled out of a deal to show the programme, yet to be filmed, about the famous 1994 meal at Islington's Granita restaurant for editorial reasons.

A spokeswoman referred BBC News Online to drama makers Granada.

A spokeswoman for Granada said ITV executives had felt the subject matter was too sensitive for them at the moment given the current political climate.

Channel 4 are now due to begin filming the drama, called The Deal, and it will go into production in May.

According to the legend, Mr Brown is said to have agreed to back Mr Blair's leadership bid in return for a promise that once prime minister he would leave Number 10 midway through his second term.

That time is now rapidly approaching - though the existence of the apparent agreement is disputed by Blairites.

In January Downing Street took the unusual step of issuing a public denial of reports that Mr Brown had been asking Mr Blair to stand aside.

The prime minister's spokesman said: "Ever since this government was formed people have wanted to say the Blair/Brown relationship was doomed to fail, particularly because of historical precedents.

'Vital and strong'

"The press have not had that and it is frustrating [for them].

"The relationship is a vital and strong relationship and remains so.

"The idea that the chancellor has been asking the prime minister to move over is untrue."

The drama is to star Michael Sheen as Mr Blair and David Morrissey as Mr Brown.

The project came up against opposition from senior executives at Granada at a time when the government's approval was required for the merger with Carlton.

Granada drama chiefs are said to have persuaded them of the merits of the drama.

A source close to the project suggested that ITV's new director of channels, Nigel Pickard, was against airing the programme.