Fans of US crime dramas are in for a treat as Channel 5 plans to fill its schedules with programmes such as CSI: Miami, NCIS and Law & Order - 24 hours a day.
Bosses at the channel have been left with no other option as domestic TV production companies are threatening to boycott the channel over late payment of fees.
"They've got this 60-day payment policy and a lot of us run on such tight margins, we can't afford to wait," said Henry Beaux-Lampitt of Beaux-Lampitt TV. "So we've stopped supplying them with programmes."
A channel insider told us: "There is an alternative schedule ready.
"We have whole days of CSI:Crime Scene Investigation, CSI:Miami and CSI:New York planned. Then we can easily fill other days with Law & Order, Law & Order:Criminal Intent and Law & Order:Special Victims Unit.
"Then of course, there's always The Mentalist - not to mention Neighbours and Home and Away."
When we suggested that looked pretty much like the channel's regular schedule, the source said: "Oh... yeah."
