Carlton Television is a part of the ITV network in the UK, with Carlton offering original and brought in programming for the London region of the British network. The company was formed by Michael Green in a bid to join the race for an ITV franchise, which were auctioned off by the Conservative Government in the UK in 1991. Carlton television won the right to broadcast in the London area and join the ITV Network, which is the largest in the UK along with the BBC. Over the course of its life from 1985 onwards, Carlton has been responsible for some of the top programming in the UK, including the critically and commercially successful Inspector Morse series of mysteries starring John Thaw.
Since the beginning of its life as a company Carlton television has produced a wide range of programming for the ITV Network and a number of other stations across digital and satellite networks. Amongst these are the well remembered Bramwell and The Vice. The company also produced a series of sitcoms, including the Denise Van Outen sitcom Babes in the Wood and Brighton Belles. Literary adaptations have also proved a success for the network, which have included versions of Goodnight, Mister Tom and Rebecca.