E4

Introduction

E4 is the youngest channel in the C4 family. And like all (superior) youngest siblings – we yearn to be noticed, talked about and entertaining…

 

As part of this quest, E4 came close* to locking a partnership with ChatGPT earlier this year – integrating AI tech into its commissioning operations. Like E4, the algorithm was primed to obsessively drive streaming on Channel 4, search ruthlessly for bold formats with an uncompromising focus on bingeworthy high-volume series – and feed the best ideas into commissioning.

 

Unfortunately, what no computer scientists anticipated was the apoplectic response when the algorithm’s ideas were turned down...

 

*We didn’t.

 

When we’re not libelling algorithms and blaming it on our older siblings, E4 is fixated on big reality formats that ask a big burning question with a tabloid edge.

 

E4 VALUES:

We are a distinctive, dedicated and down-to-earth youth channel. We make content for young audiences, but not about them. We love risky, creative shapes for our shows, but the subject matter is often brilliantly broad in order to entertain viewers who are young at heart as well as young in age.

Three words that sum up our content if you haven’t gleaned them yet: drama, humour and entertainment.

TALENT:

We’re lucky to have some exceptionally attractive faces on E4 – from our super-rich Chelsea cast to Paul, Mel and Charlene in Married at First Sight to Dani Dyer and Sam Thompson who recently appeared in some documentaries for E4 – and we’re looking to welcome more talent to the E4 family who will bring more than just their following… We want personality, humour and points of view for our output so that a young audience will love engaging with E4 talent and shows.

A few names we love: AJ Odudu, Fred Sirieix, Rylan, Chloe Burroughs, Yinka Bokinni, Judi Love, Danny Dyer, Vogue Williams, Joanne McNally and check out the brilliant talent we’re developing at the E4 Academy (Chezablonde; Ruth Codd, Simmie Kaur and Anisa Farah).

PITCHING:

E4 now has a channel-specific commissioning editor, Mel Bezalel, who sits across unscripted and is taking new ideas – reporting to Head of Youth and Digital, Karl Warner.

Channel 4’s genre teams will continue to meet with indies about new ideas for E4, via designated commissioning editors (listed below). We encourage indies to keep pre-existing dialogues going if they’re working well.

Please talk to individual commissioners about the pitching process and how they prefer to work e.g. sending toplines, decks, tape etc. We aim to get back to emails within two weeks.
 
Reality & Entertainment: Genna Gibson – looking for premium reality and formats with scale that can be more heavily formatted and celeb or talent-based.

and Vivienne Molokwu (maternity leave) – looking for premium reality as well as clever, lower-cost reality & fact ent formats.

Documentaries & Factual Entertainment: Tim Hancock and Simon Lee – looking for glossy obs doc series and constructed doc series.

To make sure we are inclusive and accessible to all, please let us know if you require any adjustments or assistance for meetings and communications with you.

What are we looking for?

Unlike C4’s genre departments, E4 commissions across all of unscripted and we’re proudly home to a range of multi-faceted shows – from Made in Chelsea to Celeb Cooking School, Embarrassing Bodies, Below Deck and Married at First Sight.

When you’re thinking about an E4 idea, think about positioning an irresistible question at its heart e.g. “what would it be like to marry a stranger?” or “what if celebrities controlled a reality show?” The format should then answer that question in a bold and creative way that will get us noticed as a digital channel. E4 ideas should always be packed with drama, make you laugh and instantly make you want to Whatsapp your mates.

GENERAL

Every show on E4 must also drive streaming on Channel 4, and we proudly play a key role in the Future4 strategy. Our shows are consistently in the top 10 streaming titles on Channel 4 e.g. Married at First Sight, Hollyoaks, Teen First Dates, Below Deck and Made in Chelsea. We want to be an even bigger presence on that list so we can continue to insufferably brag about it in meetings.

E4 viewers are looking to us for fun, shock and shareable moments that they want to be the first to post about.

Because we’re a digital channel, every show needs to make an impact – an arresting title; a big, simple and noisy premise and huge characters. Shows that you can imagine sitting comfortably next to headline-grabbing shows like Naked, Alone and Racing to get Home and Celebs Go Dating.

We are currently looking for ideas that will go into production late 2023/2024, which isn’t as far away as you think... 

Please don’t pitch: scripted ideas, studio formats, music formats, niche hobbies, sports, TikTok/social trends, anything with a starting point that’s too gamey without purpose

Our biggest shows: Married at First Sight; Made in Chelsea; Below Deck; Naked, Alone and Racing to get Home

E4’S THREE CONTENT PILLARS IN MORE DETAIL:

Premium reality: 9pm and 10pm, 8-30 eps, 200-250k per hour

E4 is a home for reality, so our first two pillars are the most central to our identity.

We’re looking for reality shows with scale and purpose that can unfold in a long run (minimum 8 eps, up to 20 or even 30). Dating is tough to crack as there are so many dating shows out there; we’d love to look at other territories that feel equally broad and relatable – we want these shows to appeal to young audiences but not exclusively.

Whatever space you land in, the idea needs to pose some sort of real-world dilemma that drives the drama and comedy in a natural way. Think MAFS or Celeb Cooking School.

We love working with talented celebrities, but when it comes to new celeb reality shows – they need to have authenticity, be dramatic and inspire real emotional investment from the celebrities taking part. As long as the idea is rooted in a legitimate question or truth, we want to hear it. What makes this cast want to participate (other than fee)? What will provoke emotional drama but isn’t too contrived?

Lower-cost repeatable reality formats: 8pm/9pm/10pm, 6/8/10 ep, 160-180k per hour

We don’t get pitched enough repeatable formats, possibly because it’s a broad steer on what we’re looking for – nothing too niche, with real-world purpose baked in.

Please don’t pitch us ideas that feel like C4 features – this is a brilliantly creative area, but the daytime and features team at C4 have this covered. E4 viewers are expecting reality formats from us, rather than features shows.

Our viewers want high drama, creativity and humour from E4 formats, and a subversive topline always helps. Don’t Tell The Bride and Come Dine With Me are great examples (both have played on E4) because there’s something really relatable in the topline, the jeopardy is real and there is natural drama in the format beats throughout.

It’s important to remember that young people are engaged by a huge range of topics – from food to relationships, family, medical and more. What makes these formats feel E4 is often the execution – the tone of voice, reality-style formatting and how we’re producing contributors. Our series Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home is a great example of this.

Formats could be experimental in form or tone but still have some purpose and scale. We’re more likely to back an idea that’s a funny, quirky take on a tried and tested subject – like body image and family dynamics etc – rather than young, niche hobbies.

Character-driven factual: – 9pm and 10pm, 6/8/10 eps, around 150k per hour

Just like the layers of sh!t ChatGPT will inevitably land us in, we’re surprisingly deep at E4. We’re looking for ideas that will surprise viewers with range and layers of storytelling, boosting our reputation for quality film-making. But these ideas need to hold their own next to our large-scale reality shows – they need to be fast-paced, led by big characters and have no shortage of high-drama narratives. Emergency on Sunny Beach is a recent example – a steady flow of stories, a new point of view on a tried and tested area, with bright and entertaining characters.

This is a newer avenue for E4 and we’re excited about our ongoing search for relatable casts/worlds that immediately illicit a reaction from viewers. These shows need to be loud, tabloid, glossy and fight for their position on Channel 4’s platform as well as the EPG – and bold titles always help.

We’re looking for relatively low-cost series up to 150k per episode that can do volume at 8-10 episodes – which means there’s real pressure on stories and finding precincts that consistently deliver drama, jeopardy and humour.

For more constructed precinct shows like Teen First Dates, we’re looking for story engines full of big characters and varied backstories, that can do volume – but that still have roots in the real world.

We’re particularly interested in shows that will bring in 16-24s, which tend to be broad appeal shows with consistent high-drama e.g. 24 Hours in Police Custody; 999: What’s Your Emergency, and in the past, the Educating brand.

We will fund the right developments if indies come to us with access or characters we’re excited by – as casting is key to getting these projects over the line.

E4 Sizzle Reel Awards Edit

 

 

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