THERE’LL BE ANOTHER MURDER

The announcement comes as the 100th episode of the world-famous series is set to screen on December 7.

STV vowed to continue making Taggart even if ITV pulls the plug on financing it. The long-running detective series has still not been recommissioned by ITV for 2010, although STV said negotiations continue over the future of the contract.

Each hour-long drama costs over £500,000 to make and all of its principal players – Alex Norton, John Michie, Blythe Duff and Colin McCredie – are currently out of contract.

A TV insider said: “This is a very bold thing to announce. The first thing they have to do is get the cast back on board. There is a new regime up there and things will have to be done in a different way.”

The go-it-alone plan for Taggart is set to further aggravate STV’s increasingly bitter legal row with ITV.

ITV chief John Cresswell yesterday said STV’s behaviour in dropping key shows such as Doc Martin, Benidorm and Miss Marple was “dragging down the whole performance of the ITV network”. ITV is going to court in the hope of reclaiming £15million-£20million in unpaid programme costs from the Scottish broadcaster.

But STV is launching counter claims against ITV for £35million it believes it is owed.