ITV Plans to Sink Who

The ITV network -- which suffered a dramatic turnaround this spring as "Doctor Who" trounced its Saturday night variety series "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway" -- is planning its own counterattack, with a pantomime featuring cast members from the long-running soap "Coronation Street" to air opposite the forthcoming special "The Christmas Invasion," according to yesterday's Daily Star. "Corrie bosses are planning to zap Dr Who this Christmas. The cast have been told they will be recording a panto for ITV1. And it could go out in competition with the BBC's Dr Who special. But the plan has met with a mixed reaction. A source said: 'Some stars are a bit miffed. They are not allowed to do panto independently when they're working on Corrie. People have missed out on huge salaries in the festive season.'" The pantomime special will likely be "Cinderella" and will be programmed opposite "Doctor Who" when the Christmas special is officially scheduled. (Thanks to Peter Weaver)