ITV BOSS & AD-VERSARIES

ITV’s new boss yesterday admitted some adverts during hit show Love Island were “not quite right”.

Critics, including the head of NHS England, have slammed the broadcaster for allowing firms to plug cosmetic breast surgery during commercial breaks for the programme. Carolyn McCall insisted ITV took the issue “very seriously” but said it related only to a “tiny number of ads”.

The storming success of Love Island – plus the World Cup – helped ITV report a strong set of half-year results, with revenue rising 8% to £1.6billion, advertising sales up and its share of viewers increasing.

McCall reckons Love Island, which it makes through its ITV Studios arm, had “global appeal”, with the show now sold to seven countries and an eighth on the way.

The former easyJet boss set out her vision for ITV, with an extra £60million of investment and a possible streaming service with only UK-made shows.

She has also earmarked £40m of cost cutting, but said job numbers would rise.