It’s make or break for Michael Grade as his overhaul of ITV reaches the screens. Can a “reinvention” of the soap opera format restore the broadcaster’s fortunes?

With ratings on the slide and an ageing audience, Mr Grade, the ITV executive chairman, has demanded contemporary drama with a “buzz”, to match the BBC’s Spooks and time-travel show, Life on Mars.

But critics are divided over Moving Wallpaper and Echo Beach, two £7 million, linked prime-time series that begin tonight on ITV1, after 12 years in development.

Moving Wallpaper depicts the behind-the-scenes backbiting at a soap opera, masterminded by a producer played by Ben Miller, who is determined to make it the most talked-about show in Britain. It is followed immediately by Echo Beach, the soap opera itself, which is set in Cornwall and stars soap veterans Jason Donovan and Martine McCutcheon.

Events in Moving Wallpaper influence the soap opera. Viewers see that an aspiring actress who gives sexual favours to a producer in Moving Wallpaper is suddenly given a role in Echo Beach. But if viewers do not “get it”, the shows could threaten the relaunch, masterminded by Mr Grade, which is centred on drama, comedy and the return of News At Ten next week.

The concept was created by Tony Jordan, writer of Eldorado, the BBC One soap opera set in Spain and axed after a year at a cost of £10 million. Mr Jordan is the co-creator of the BBC’s Life on Mars, and drew up the “soap-within-a-soap” concept in 1995. He told The Times: “I’m nervous before any show comes out but this has taken 12 years to come to the screen. You can watch either show independently of the other, but if you like Moving Wallpaper you can see how the jokes feed into Echo Beach.”

ITV’s viewing share has fallen by 10 per cent over the past two years. Mr Grade said that the 9pm timeslot was crucial. “It is when most people who advertisers value the most are viewing, and, frankly, our offerings have not been good enough. People have been watching Life on Mars, New Tricks, Hustle. Innovation is the lifeblood of our business, and there has not been nearly enough on ITV.”

However, Boyd Hilton, the television editor of the entertainment magazine Heat, believes that the format doesn’t work. He said: “Moving Wallpaper is great and really captures the bitterness of that television world. But having been told what a cynical show Echo Beach is, why would viewers then want to watch it? And the soap itself feels very tame. It is a brave move for ITV but it feels a bit more suited to Channel 4.”

Chris Hayward, the director of television at Zenith Optimedia, which buys advertising time on ITV, said: “Michael Grade will be judged by the success of this relaunch. These shows are a brave attempt to shake up the schedule and attract upmarket, younger viewers. But it’s a gamble if viewers don’t grasp the concept.”

The behind-the-scenes show incorporates Mr Jordan’s experiences as lead writer on EastEnders, and Eldorado. A scene in which plots are designed to win at the British Soap Awards is based on a meeting that he attended.

The format, produced by Kudos, which makes Spooks and Life on Mars, could be sold to international broadcasters.

Caitlin Moran, The Times television writer, is already a fan. She wrote: “Simply writing what the idea of the two shows is gives me a full-on visceral thrill that we live in such times.” Mr Jordan was a “screaming genius”.

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