Rupert Murdoch uses London visit to try to boost ratings at talkTV

Effort to revive fortunes of Piers Morgan-fronted rightwing channel include replacing boss and expected relaunch

Rupert Murdoch's talkTV has been struggling to attract an audience for its culture-war output. But staff at the channel are now worried that they have recently gained one particular viewer: Murdoch himself, who has arrived in London and is taking an active interest in his station's fate.

The media mogul has invested tens of millions of pounds in talkTV, but after just two months on air, there are fears it could become a costly disaster unless he makes a rapid intervention, with official viewing figures dipping to zero at some points during evening broadcasts.