In a UK first, Channel 4 is to put their entire back catalogue of programming online, giving viewers the chance to catch some of the broadcasters classic shows such as Father Ted, Brass Eye and Queer as Folk.
Set to be made available for free via the networks 4oD (on demand) catch up service, there will also be a selection of key episodes from the networks soap Brookside which ended in 2003 as well as comedies Vic Reeves Big Night Out, Ali G and Teachers.
Channel 4 has of course been the breeding ground for many other groundbreaking comedy series, such as The Comic Strip Presents... series starring Ade Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French among others, while other hoped for comedies include Chelmsford 123, Drop the Dead Donkey, That Peter Kay Thing, Smack the Pony, Whose Line is it Anyway and The Harry Hill Show.
A huge amount of comedy output has originated with Channel 4 over the years, while they’ve also brought a considerable amount of US comedy to British screens. The online repository accessible via 4oD isn’t expected to make every single show available in one go however.
4oD utilises the same peer to peer system as BBC iPlayer, and it is thanks to the BBC’s pioneering work in the realm of on-demand television that Channel 4 are able to offer their back catalogue for viewing.
It’s not known yet when the BBC plan to offer more of its classic television via iPlayer; meanwhile commercial broadcaster ITV continues to lag behind both networks with only a few recent shows available in an episodic format.
