That’s why Costa Rica, with its life expectancy of 79.1 years and commitment to renewable energy, topped the 2016 list of the world’s happiest countries, having already won in 2009 and 2012.
Armed with some survival training, the clothes they stand in, filming equipment, medical supplies, some basic tools and fishing equipment and enough water for 24 hours, the islanders will be forced to fend for themselves in the outdoors as they face dehydration, hunger and severe weather conditions during storm season.
The six-part series will have a new twist as two groups from different generations will be dropped on a pair of neighbouring islands without the knowledge of the other.
The Son is a new ten-part family drama based on Philip Meyers' Western novel, spanning over 150 years and multiple generations of a Texas family.
Walter Presents is also bringing back successful Spanish prison drama Locked Up.
The first series proved popular last year, with Walter Iuzzolino of Walter Presents telling the RTS that the day after the show launched online, “something like 11 000 people had already burned through the entire [series]”
The show, he said, “is “really different. It’s really Hispanic. It’s very technicolour. It’s fun. It’s very sweaty. It is Spanish exuberance!”
Set in a parallel present, the show blurs the lines between human and machine, and focuses on the social impact of the creation of robot servants called Synths.
Filming begins in Autumn 2017 for the eight-part series, which is again being written by Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley (Humans S1, Spooks: The Greater Good) and sees the return of key cast members.
Series two aired in 2016 to critical acclaim, with the first episode becoming Channel 4’s highest rating returning drama launch since Homeland S2 in 2012.
“We all knew the gravity of what we were taking on,” says Jack Thorne, the screenwriter of Channel 4’s powerful drama National Treasure.
The show follows fictional light entertainment star Paul Finchley (RTS Award nominee Robbie Coltrane), who is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl many years earlier.
The show, coming from Finchley’s perspective, looks at the impact of the accusation, not only on the victim, but also on the accused and their family.
“It’s a totally different beast,” she insists.
The Big Family Cooking Showdown, which is presented by Hussain and Zoe Ball, pits 16 families against each other in weekly culinary crusades, judged by chefs Rosemary Schrager and Bruno Locatelli.
“It’s about family cooking and different cultures. There’s baking involved depending on who wants to bake,” she explains.
The ten-part series is due to launch in the autumn.
“TFI Friday for the Brexit era” chimes in his co-star Alex Brooker.
“I think we’re a version of [Jon Stewart and Trevor Noah’s] The Daily Show for a country that has a pub culture” suggests Adam Hills, the host of the Channel 4 show.
The Last Leg launched during the 2012 Paralympic Games as a comedy breakdown of the day’s sporting highlights.
Moffatt, who is currently appearing on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway on ITV, will join Alan Carr in a new Channel 4 entertainment show which will be recorded later this year.
She will also present a reboot of nineties classic Streetmate, in a role originally made famous by Davina McCall . Shy singletons will get a helping hand from Moffatt who will scour the streets to find people dates in towns and cities across the UK.
Channel 4 has reaffirmed its commitment to diversity in its new ‘Diversity Charter 360° - Two Years on.’
The charter, which builds on the channel’s work over the past years, outlines four key areas for the broadcaster in 2017.
The ‘Four New Frontiers’ for 2017 aim to increase diversity of programme directors by providing opportunities to 40 directors from under-represented groups, including BAME, female and disabled people, as well as actively enhance the careers of 10 high-potential BAME individuals to improve representation as senior levels.
