News reaches my ears this afternoon that ITV are pulling their much-criticised quiz channel ITV Play, and replacing it with ITV2+1. Which is distinctly not ITV3. Though with all the recent controversy, it seems rather fitting that the service has been replaced with one with a name that makes it look like ITV can’t add up.

Apparently this has nothing to do with the recent concern over premium-line phone-in competitions. Despite the channel being based on, erm, premium-line phone-in competitions, and recently being pulled temporarily due to an investigation into – oh, premium-line phone-in competitions. The reason it won’t be returning is because they’ve decided it doesn’t make the best the best use of their available spectrum. Of course, it was the best use of this spectrum less than a year ago when it launched.

I shouldn’t be too hard on them. The fact that it’s gone is doubtlessly a good thing. But it will be staying overnight – you see, it is the best use of space then. Mainly because it’s profitable. And if there’s one thing ITV can add up, it’s shareholders’ profits.