ITV Player adds classic shows for rent, with no ads

The new-look ITV Player is brimming with new shows and classic programmes and includes the option to watch ITV shows without the pesky adverts.

The online catch-up and on-demand service has been relaunched today in beta. Free episodes of recently broadcast programmes are joined by archive shows for rent -- and in the near future, new episodes will appear on ITV Player before they're shown on TV.

Rented, ad-free episodes start at 49p, or you can rent a whole series to knock a few pennies off the cost.

Classic ITV shows available for rent include Boon, Morse, A Touch of Frost, Brideshead Revisited, Cracker, Rising Damp, Prime Suspect, Cold Feet and more -- as well as a fine selection of Gerry Anderson shows, including Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet, with no strings attached.

You can swash your buckles with period action from Sharpe and Hornblower, or check out the selection of recent hits such as Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Titanic and The Only Way is Essex.

Catch-up goes back a month, but with adverts in place. 

If you're feeling nostalgic, there's loads of free episodes of recent and classic shows too. If you've caught up with the past week's footie or soaps, how about a Minder marathon, or a session of 1970s machismo with free episodes of The Sweeney and The Professionals? They don't make 'em like that any more.

What are your favourite ITV shows? Is ITV Player as good as BBC iPlayer? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.