Channel 4

A number of announcements were made today from Channel 4 regarding new commissions including a new eight-part comedy-drama from writer Paul Abbott.

Announcing the new commissions, Jay Hunt said: “We are continuing to invest in the sort of innovative and distinctive content that only Channel 4 would bring to screen.

“This year great authorship will be a big theme with dramas Top Boy, Southcliffe, Run and Dates. And I am delighted that as Shameless ends Paul Abbott will be back on 4 with a new jet black comedy drama about cop life, No Offence. Continue reading »

Channel 4’s 4oD catch-up service will now be available on Samsung’s range of Smart TVs.

4oD will be available through Samsung Apps, the company’s Smart TV service portal.

“We’re pleased to be able to extend the availability of 4oD, our successful video on demand service, to Samsung’s Smart TVs as we continue to widen the reach of Channel 4 content onto key platforms,” said Sarah Milton, head of video on demand at Channel 4. Continue reading »

Channel 4 is going to take a look into the UK’s obsession with “dirty chicken”.

The broadcaster has commissioned a documentary on the UK’s love of fried chicken shops for its Cutting Edge strand.

Exploring the phenomenal rise in public affection for everything fried chicken through a single shop in South London, Cutting Edge: The Fried Chicken Shop (w/t) will offer an intriguing insight into contemporary London life through the window of a busy chicken shop. The 1 x 60 is due to transmit in February on Channel 4.

Using a mini-rig of fixed cameras, retrospective interviews with customers and staff and user-generated content, this 60 minute film will be a playful, surprising and celebratory look at the space fried chicken occupies in the cultural and economic urban landscape of modern Britain. Continue reading »

On January 4th 2013 the Channel 4 Mash Up returns for a night of show-swapping fun from our favourite Channel 4 stars.

Hosts for the evening Davina McCall and Kevin McCloud both present from their ‘homes’ – Davina and her pensioner’s workout crew and Kevin from his “modest, hetropolitan, urban crash-lair”.

Alan Carr causes havoc in a special Chatty Man version of The Million Pound Drop where we see Loose Women (Denise Welch, Sherrie Hewson, Lisa Maxwell and Jane MacDonald)
Richard Bacon and Alexander Armstrong take on the Drop in a bid to win £1million for their charities.

But before the game begins, Alan only goes and loses THE MILLION POUNDS and then has to do a series of odd jobs to recoup the prize money… Continue reading »

Channel 4 today announced the launch of a new E4 interactive music streaming app hosted by Spotify – the first partnership with a UK TV broadcaster for the leading digital music service.

From today, E4 viewers will be able to find music from their favourite shows including Made in Chelsea, Misfits and Skins, in the free and easy-to-use E4 app in the Spotify app finder http://open.spotify.com/app/e4. The app will also integrate with Spotify features to allow users to instantly play music from E4 shows and share the music on social networks including Facebook and Twitter.

The app’s Playlist Generator feature allows users to create and share their own E4 playlists made up of the music from E4 shows. Continue reading »

Doctor Who airdate confirmed

BBC One has confirmed the timing for this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special. The episode will air at 5.15pm on BBC One.

Adam Hills to read Channel 4′s Alternative Christmas Message 

Adam Hills has been announced to host this year’s Alternative Christmas Message on Channel 4. The Australian will present the nation with a different Christmas speech to the Queens’s official message.

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Channel 4′s Chief Creative Officer Jay Hunt, announced today that comedy supremo, Phil Clarke would be joining the channel as its new Head of Comedy.

Overseeing a slate of shows that range from Black Mirror, Derek and Bad Sugar to new talent initiatives like 4Funnies and Comedy Blaps, Phil will be joining the channel in the New Year.

Currently Head of Comedy and Entertainment at Objective Productions, Phil joined as Head of Comedy, setting up the comedy department in spring 2003, after producing the first series of Peep Show in 2002. Overseeing numerous award-winning series for Channel 4 and the BBC, Phil was Executive Producer for all of Objective’s scripted comedy, including Fresh Meat, Peep Show, Star Stories and Pete Versus Life. Continue reading »

The lovely peeps at Channel 4 have just released details of what they’ve got lined up for us this Christmas, and by the looks of things, it’s gonna be a good one!

Here’ s what C4 have to say…

With Christmas just around the corner, Channel 4 has brought together some of its biggest and most-loved talent in an array of top notch programmes that will help viewers get the perfect Christmas well and truly wrapped up.

The centrepiece of our season is the long-awaited return of the Snowman to our screens in a brand new sequel to the much-loved original 30 years on from its premiere. The Snowman isn’t the only character undergoing a transformation this Christmas: Bad Santas is a two-part documentary following a group of unemployed men with difficult pasts as they try to make a fresh start – at Santa School.

Meanwhile, in the build-up to the big day, let Channel 4′s roster of experts take the strain as they impart some crucial, not-to-be-missed tips to help viewers out in the kitchen and beyond. The Fabulous Baker Brothers will bake some hearty winter treats and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will be joined at River Cottage by some very special stars of the London 2012 Games.

Channel 4′s festive food extravaganza will be topped off with Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas Cookalong Live on Christmas Day, with Gordon once again guiding viewers through the biggest meal of the year. With him at the helm, what could possibly go wrong? Continue reading »

Channel 4 will soon begin broadcasting in HD in Wales after securing the Freeview HD capacity from S4C.

Earlier this year, Welsh-language broadcaster S4C announced its intention to cease broadcasting in HD on Freeview from December 1 this year.

Channel 4 signalled its interest in taking over the HD slot in Wales and its proposal was greenlit last month.

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: “We’re delighted we have been successful in our application for S4C’s Freeview HD capacity in Wales. Continue reading »

We may have just over a week to go before the launch of Homeland Season 2 but when Showtime uploaded the first twenty minutes of the first episode, we couldn’t help ourselves to take a sneak peak.  We have missed Homeland since the series finished in May and with the weather turning, it’s just what we need to cosy up in front of on a Sunday night.

Here’s what we learned but beware of the spoilers

Continue reading »