Stars from Coronation Street mingled with TV3 staff at the publication of the Dublin station's autumn schedule.
The popular soap moved from RTE on January 1st and has provided TV3 with its largest audiences.
Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah, and Angela Lonsdale, who plays Emma, posed yesterday for photographs with TV3 presenters.
The station's director of programming, Mr Matthew Salway, said the acquisition of the soap was the coup of the year for TV3. "That's the one I'm proudest of. It's made a huge difference and gives us enormous opportunities. It brings ratings for all our other programmes up."
Mr Salway added that TV3 spent twice as much on "homegrown" Irish programmes as it did on foreign productions.
He said the station had entered into a co-production agreement which granted it exclusive Irish rights to broadcast Jim Sheridan's Bloody Sunday.
A dramatisation of the shootings in Derry on January 30th, 1972, it will be broadcast next year.
Meanwhile, an Irish version of The Weakest Link will be broadcast on TV3 from September 17th.
The programme's host, Eamon Dunphy, said he was "extremely enthusiastic" about the new show. "It's got a nice Irish feel to it. It's not a complete carbon copy of the British version."
Champions League returns to TV3 next Tuesday, with analysis provided by Mick McCarthy, Frank Stapleton, Kevin Moran and John Aldridge.
The autumn schedule also features a number of new series, including Cold Feet, Gideon's Crossing, Judging Amy, The Joan Cusack Show and Snoops.
Sunday night movie premieres will include The Truman Show, Cruel Intentions, Mask of Zorro, Ronin and The End of the Affair.
The station promises viewers news programmes "at times that suit your lifestyle".
