Channel 4

John Whittingdale outlines Government plans for the UK's creative sector

Culture secretaries tend to come and go with some frequency – but not hours before they are due to address the RTS Cambridge Convention. On the first day of the Convention, Oliver Dowden was shifted sideways in Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle and replaced by former Health and Social Care minister and I’m a Celebrity… contestant Nadine Dorries.

The minister for media and data, John Whittingdale, generously answered a last-minute call to appear by video link to read Dowden’s speech and answer questions from the Convention floor.

TV Diary: Lorraine Heggessey

I still experience that “back to school” feeling in September, even though my daughters have long since finished their education. This year, it’s magnified as life starts return­ing to some kind of normal after months of Covid constraints.

I’ll be going to my first industry event for nearly two years, the RTS Convention in Cambridge. I’ve missed the buzz and energy of being in the same room with people, so I am feeling quite exhilarated.

Public Service Broadcasting: Facing Failure or the Future? | RTS Cambridge Convention 2021

How radical do we have to be to protect public service broadcasting? Ex BBC and New York Times boss Mark Thompson argues that PSB will die in the UK unless huge change happens. He debates his solutions with a distinguished panel. 

Chair

Kirsty Wark, Journalist and Writer

Introduction

Mark Thompson, CEO, Ancestry.com

Speakers

Maria Kyriacou, President, ViacomCBS Networks UK, Australia and Israel

Alex Mahon, CEO, Channel 4

Fraser Nelson, Editor, The Spectator

This Disunited Kingdom | RTS Cambridge Convention 2021

In a year of a Labour Wales, Tory England and SNP Scotland, what does Britishness mean now and in the future? And how can, and should, the British media react? The PSBs are rapidly spreading production round the country. What does this mean for the industry? Is it too late to save UK plc? Top pollster and TV pundit Professor Sir John Curtice puts a series of scenarios to a panel of industry leaders to explore their views of Britishness and the fragmenting media landscape.

Chair

Kirsty Wark, Journalist and Writer

Speakers

Channel 4 announces the famous faces taking part in Celebrity Hunted

(Top row L-R) Chizzy Akudolu, Lisa Maffia, The Vivienne (aka James Williams), Chloe Veitch; (Bottom row L-R) Gareth Locke, Ollie Locke, Richard Whitehead, Iwan Thomas (Credit: Channel 4)

The celebrities fighting to evade the hunters are Olympic silver medallist Iwan Thomas, who is partnered with two-time Paralympic gold medallist Richard Whitehead, Made in Chelsea stars Ollie and Gareth Locke, actress Chizzy Akudolu, who is partnered with icon of UK garage Lisa Maffia, and Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, who is partnered with international reality TV star Chloe Veitch. 

The celebrities need to remain undiscovered for two weeks, as a top team of hunters try to track them down. 

Date set for the return of The Great British Bake Off

The first episode will air on Channel 4 on Tuesday 21 September at 8.00pm.

The announcement follows last week’s teaser video captioned “Loaf is in the air... The Great British Bake Off. Coming Soon.”

Dramatically scored, the short video shows the tent pitched once again in the grounds of Welford Park in Newbury, Berkshire.

Noel Fielding will return to host with Matt Lucas, who joined the team for the last edition.

Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will also return to judge the bakes, meaning the bakers will be competing for that all important Hollywood handshake.