Tourism concerns '˜not behind TV episode axe' say police

The Detectives: Inside The Major Crimes Team was due to the spotlight on the fatal stabbing of a Polish man in Central Drive on Thursday night.

However, it was pulled from the schedules just hours before it was due to air, with ITV bosses blaming ‘legal reasons’ for the switch.

ITV cameras went behind the scenes with Lancashire Police for the three-part series.

The proposed airing of the Blackpool episode ahead of the expected busy Easter period was heavily criticised by tourism bosses. who claimed such programmes “do not add any value” to the resort’s tourism industry.

Today, police bosses said the decision to change the schedule at the last minute was not linked in any way to comments from Blackpool tourism leaders who said the timing of the planned broadcast – ahead of the Easter weekend - was damaging to the resort.

Ahead of the programme, Coun Graham Cain, Cabinet Secretary for Blackpool Council, said: “The decision to go ahead with the programme was made by Lancashire Police.

“While we recognise the magnificent work that the police do Blackpool Council chose not to cooperate with the production company simply because we believe that these sort of programmes do not add any value to a tourist resort.”