Royston to the rescue

A FAN of Scarborough-based TV show The Royal has launched a petition to keep the programme on our screens.

Dawn Dobson, 28, started the online petition after ITV suspended production of the medical drama and its sister show Heartbeat.

The move has raised doubts about the future of the shows, which showcase the North Yorkshire landscape, the towns of Scarborough and Whitby. and surrounding villages.

Miss Dobson, of Royston in Barnsley, has been a fan of the show since it started in January 2003 and wants to see its future secured.

More than 60 people have already signed the petition which she will send to ITV once she has collected more signatures.

Miss Dobson, who is a civil servant, said: "The Royal is a good-quality Sunday night drama and it makes a good change from the reality TV they think everybody likes to watch."

Her partner John Irwin, 38, of Barnsley, is also a fan of the programme and interviewed one of its stars Michelle Hardwick, who plays receptionist Lizzie Hopkirk, while working on a community radio station.

The Royal gives Scarborough a chance to shine, with the Red Court apartments between Holbeck Road and the Esplanade being used as the show's hospital for exterior shots.

Other locations are the Esplanade, the harbour, St Mary's Church, South Street, Marine Drive, the former South Bay Pool and the Holbeck area.

In a recent letter to the Evening News, Prof Edward Black, of Red Court, said: "The TV series The Royal has given great pleasure to many millions and Red Court is now the most famous building in Scarborough.

"Tourism and associated industries have all benefited and people love to watch the filming."

Cllr David Jeffels, Scarborough Council's cabinet member for tourism, said: "The value of TV series such as The Royal and Heartbeat is immeasurable so far as the tourist industry is concerned in our area.

"The series have brought many thousands of people to Scarborough, Whitby and the national park and provided our area with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of publicity.

"These programmes have been screened not just in this country but worldwide.

"I have written to the TV companies about Heartbeat and I will do the same about The Royal in the hope that there can be a change of heart."

Petitions to save Heartbeat have been running at the Grapevine Cafe in Whitby and Goathland Post Office as well as online, and have attracted almost 11,500 signatures.

Category: Television

Region: United Kingdom

Target: ITV

Background (Preamble):

We are wanting to show ITV that they will be making a mistake by axing one of their best Sunday night family dramas in favour of cheap reality TV.

Petition:

Please sign this petition so we can show ITV that they would be making a mistake by axing a popular and good quality family drama in favour of cheap reality TV.