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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Bridge will bring together 12 total strangers who all need to work together and trust each other to try and win £100,000.

Brought to an idyllic lakeside in the British countryside, the 12 strangers have no idea about the challenge that awaits them but are ready and excited for an adventure.

The big money prize is just out of reach, 250 metres away from the contestants across the lake, so to reach the grand prize they have 20 days to build a bridge that will get them to the money.

The new ten-part series will see the addition of new character Kayla (Robyn Cara), a funny and vibrant mixed-race teenager who is facing an identity crisis, torn between her mum’s family who are white and her dad’s traditional Pakistani family.

Joining Kayla is her best friend Fizza (Yasmin Al Khudhairi), who is intelligent and politically active, plus the attractive but arrogant Johnny (Ryan Dean), a member of the travelling community who is sceptical of school and catches the attention of Kayla and Fizza.

Jamie: Keep Cooking Family Favourites

Channel 4

Monday 17^th August, 8:30pm

Lockdown has led to a lot of people getting into the kitchen and cooking, but it can be easy to get stuck in a rut and cook the same things again and again.

Channel 4 gets an exclusive look into one of Britain’s most popular swingers’ clubs, uncovering the realities of a lifestyle that is often misrepresented.

With around 1.5 million people partaking in the British swinging scene, it is no longer a hidden guilty pleasure and has moved past the “keys in a bowl” stereotype.