Channel 4

Channel 4 unveils new look All 4 and new commissions

Mitchell & Webb head Back to 4

At the broadcaster’s Upfront 2017 event, they announced a brand new comedy series from Peep Show writer Simon Blackwell, to star David Mitchell and Robert Webb; named the first celebrities to take part in this year’s The Jump; and promised a massive content investment increase for 2017 on All 4

The stars of Peep Show Mitchell and Webb are returning to Channel 4 in Back.

Channel 4 explores the World According to President Trump

The World According to President Trump will see RTS award-winner Matt Frei talking to those in the know in an attempt to get to the bottom of what a Trump presidency means.

Will Trump really seek to ban all Muslims from entering the United States? Will he actually build The Wall? What will the US-Russia relationship look like?

TV's top business leaders weigh in on future challenges

From left: Tony Hall, Andrew Griffith, Lorraine Heggessey, David Abraham, Dido Harding and Tom Mockridge (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

Among the subjects they covered were the UK’s inadequate digital infrastructure, Netflix, Brexit and, inevitably, The Great British Bake Off. 

Matt Hancock’s speech in the previous session found favour with the panel. BBC chief Tony Hall welcomed the emphasis the Minister of State for Digital and Culture had put on “social and regional” diversity in television. 

The Bake Off debate boils over

Jay Hunt speaks to reporters after the RTS London Conference Session (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

James Purnell: ‘From a PSB perspective, we now see a real chasm between the way we are going to be regulated. 

‘The Charter agreement is a set of incredibly detailed guidance to Ofcom – children’s programmes, history, religion, current affairs, 100-plus quotas. 

‘We wouldn’t wish that on Channel 4, but, looking at what has happened with Bake Off, there is a huge difference between the way we are regulated, and… now there is a question about whether that is right. 

‘Channel 4’s lighter touch should be looked at.’ 

Channel 4 gives actors their big break with MonologueSlam UK

Triforce Creative Network's MonologueSlam UK offers actors their big break (Credit: monologueslamuk.com)

The broadcaster is partnering with Triforce Creative Network and MonologueSlam UK to support up and coming actors from all backgrounds across the entire UK.

MonologueSlam UK is a scheme running across the UK which offers professional actors the opportunity to perform a monologue before a judging panel of industry professionals.

Twenty-two actors will compete in the final in London in December in front of key industry decision makers and a Channel 4 drama commissioner, with 10 finalists going on to explore working with Channel 4 Drama.

Channel 4 launches scheme seeking new writers and directors

The paid scheme, called 4Stories, aims to recruit more talent currently under-represented in drama, including women, disabled people, BAME people and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

4Stories will give three directors and three writers the chance to work with Touchpaper Television on a new three-part series of related films.

The films tell one story from three different perspectives, each episode half an hour in length.

The opportunity is open to writers who have never had an original single, serial or series broadcast on UK television.

Sequel to Deutschland83 will run on All 4

Titled Deutschland86, the second series picks up the story of Communist agent Martin Rauch who we last saw in East Germany, caught up in a betrayal plot amongst his superior officers.

Three years later, in 1986, Martin emerges as an exile in East Africa and is once again enlisted by his Aunt Lenora to fight in the Global Cold War. Set amongst true stories of terrorism in 1980s Western Europe, Deutschland86 journeys through events in Paris, Johannesburg, and Tripoli before returning to a divided Berlin where nationwide anxieties are coming to a head.

Channel 4 to broadcast upcoming presidential debates

Left: Trump giving a speech at the Trump SOHO Hotel in New York in June. Right: Clinton giving a speech in Atlantic City Credit in July: REX/Shutterstock

The channel's live coverage of the debate, held on September 26th, reached a consolidated audience of just under 200,000 viewers.

Channel 4 Current Affairs Commissioning Editor, George Waldrum said: "This has been a US election like no other with phenomenal public interest. Everyone wants to know if Trump can really pull off a shock victory. We're excited to bring what could be a pivotal moment in both Clinton and Trump's bid to be the next President, to a UK audience. It's unmissable."