Channel 4

New crime thriller Before We Die announced by Channel 4

(credit: Channel 4)

The six-part series is based on the hit Swedish thriller of the same name, with the UK adaptation taking place in Bristol.

Before We Die follows detective Hannah Laing (Lesley Sharpe) who discovers her son is playing a crucial role in a brutal murder investigation as an undercover informant.

Patrick Gibson (The OA) stars as Christian, Hannah’s mixed-up son whose role is causing deep conflict for his mother.

10 things you might not know about Taskmaster

Each series sees host Greg Davies and sidekick Alex Horne stump five comedian contestants with their tasks.

Ahead of the show’s October 2020 return on Channel 4, we take a look at who and what makes Taskmaster tick.

Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Taskmaster.

Channel 4 documentary delves into The Real AC12

Viewers will get unprecedented access to the counter corruption unit and learn about the work of the Professional Standards Department (PSD), unveiling a side of policing that is largely unknown to the public.

Avon and Somerset Police opens its doors to Story Films at a time when police conduct is under more scrutiny than ever before, allowing them to uncover the work of their PSD teams. 

Brands and broadcasters must seize the time to improve diversity

(credit: Channel 4)

Covid-19 has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people in the UK to date, and almost shut down the TV airtime advertising industry. Across April and May revenues dropped by more than 50%.

Most citizens were locked down in their homes with their children homeschooled – or not – for close to four months. The world seemed to have gone mad. Worldwide, the message was to wash your hands, wear a face mask, socially distance and pretty much hope for the best.

Cutting through the clutter: The importance of broadcaster branding

It was easier in the old days – if a show was good enough, families in their millions watched it from their living rooms. But as choice, channels and platforms mushroomed, finding an audience for a programme became more complicated. The fight to be heard now requires broadcasters to break out to digital platforms, mobile devices and new audiences – who increasingly receive their recommendations from social media.

Channel 4 announces return of The Great British Bake Off

(credit: Channel 4)

The light-hearted trailer, entitled ‘The Gift’, follows the nation zealously trying to get their hands on some precious, rare flour to bake themselves through lockdown.

From banana bread to sourdough, birthdays to Bar mitzvahs, the shortage of flour caused chaos for the UK’s amateur bakers. The trailer highlights the welcome relief of the return of baking, and the upcoming eleventh series of The Great British Bake Off.

New drama from the makers of The End of the F***king World coming to Channel 4

Danny’s mum was killed in a car accident when he was just a baby.

In order to protect Danny from any more danger, his father Steve isolated them and locked Danny inside a new house in the middle of nowhere.

Danny grew up learning of the monsters waiting for him if he was to leave, and that they were the ones who took his mum.

For 18 years they stayed, avoiding the evil outside while listening to Benny Goodman records and watching old movies with only happy endings.

Channel 4 commissions new travelogue series with Rosie Jones

Exploring the UK in all its eccentric glory, Jones will set out to prove the power of minority and a good sense of humour over a big budget when it comes to travel.

Semi-scripted, the series begins with Jones having to abandon her global, luxurious travel plans, before convincing Channel 4 to adapt conceptually to Covid-19 and its constraints.

Instead, each episode a celebrity guest will join Jones in a different location within the UK, sniffing out adventures in both the city and the country.

Channel 4 to mark Black History Month with five new commissions

The documentaries will explore different aspects of the Black experience in modern Britain, including a look at romantic relationships, the celebration of black comedians, and an investigation into why Covid-19 cases are so prominent in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups. 

"I am really excited about the range of programming for Black History Month this year, particularly because we are launching new onscreen talent we hope will become regular faces on Channel 4,” said Danny Horan, Head of Factual at Channel 4.