Channel 4 Reveals Autumn 2019 Highlights
Category: Press Pack ArticleNew content highlights for 2019
POPULAR FACTUAL & ENTERTAINMENT
The Circle series 2
Prod co: Studio Lambert
TX: Autumn 2019
Contact: Denize Belingy debelingy@channel4.co.uk; Nick Walker nwalker@channel4.co.uk; Susan Wilks swilks@channel4.co.uk
Ground-breaking reality gameshow series based on a fictional social media network The Circle, will return with an extended run and a weekly live episode – presented by new host Emma Willis. The first series that saw catfish Alex/Kate win a huge cash prize Channel 4’s most popular new factual entertainment series for young viewers in 2018 and Channel 4’s youngest profiling show since 2012 with an average of 49.4% profile of 16-24s, and on All 4 it was the biggest new original commission launch since 2012, with over 10 million views.
Junior Bake Off
Prod co: Love Productions
TX: Autumn/Winter 2019Contact: Kate Conway kconway@channel4.co.uk
Host Harry Hill will be joined by judges Prue Leith and Liam Charles for a junior version of the hit baking show with the country’s best young bakers aged 9-15 competing for the title.
Charlotte Church: My Family & Me
Prod co: Curious Films
TX: Autumn 2019
Contact: Susan Wilks swilks@channel4.co.uk
This one-off special explores the emotional complexities of family life, with an authored look at a British celebrity’s relationship with their parents. This episode focuses on Charlotte Church and her family. Their lives were transformed when she found fame aged just eleven, and they were forced to deal with the unexpected pressures of fame, wealth and tabloid scrutiny. Charlotte Church: My Family & Me (w/t) will follow Charlotte, mum Maria and dad James, as they leave behind their daily routines to seclude themselves for five days in a remote, picturesque corner of the U.K. Against this stunning backdrop, and with only each other for company, they’ll confront the tensions that sudden fame created in their relationship, in a journey that will be emotional, but also redemptive.
The British Tribe Next Door
Prod co: Voltage TV
TX: Autumn 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk
In a ground-breaking new four part series, The British Tribe Next Door (w/t), Scarlett and the rest of the Moffatt family will spend four weeks with the Himba tribe in a remote Namibian tribal village. But unlike most adventurers, they won’t be saying goodbye to the comforts of their County Durham home, because they’re taking it with them, complete with all mod cons, running water, electricity, and all their possessions around them – from hair straighteners to metal detectors, iPhones to frozen ready-meals, and of course, the all-important family television. The community the Moffatts will be joining is a small village of semi-nomadic Himba cattle-herders, who live largely traditional lives. In the spirit of Meet The Natives – the celebrated 2007 Channel 4 anthropological series – the Himba have agreed to host the Moffatts, because they welcome the opportunity to assess and judge at first hand the sedentary, high tech and consumerist Western lifestyles they have heard about but never seen close-up ...
Smuggled w/t
Prod co: Screendog
TX: Autumn 2019
Contact: Gail Davidson gail@gaildavidsonpr.co.uk
As the UK prepares to ‘take back control’ of its borders and end freedom of movement for EU citizens, Channel 4 has commissioned a new two-part series exploring how effective Britain’s border security really is. The security of the UK’s frontiers is a major political concern, but very little is known by the public about how easy it really is to clandestinely enter Britain. Smuggled [w/t] sees several ordinary British citizens attempt to smuggle themselves from a variety of locations around continental Europe back into Britain without using their passport, evading Border Force authorities altogether. The series is an unprecedented national security experiment: no one has ever tested our borders on this scale, with such a large variety of methods.
Travel Man series 9
Prod co: North One Television
TX: Autumn 2019
Contact: Dingile Kasote dkasote@channel4.co.uk
Richard Ayoade packs his case for the last time for a new series of hilarious, but at the same time strangely informative, guides to the best way to spend 48 hours away. Travelling with a different comedic companion each week Richard presents an all killer, no filler guide to 4 of the world’s most exciting destinations.
Gogglebox
Prod co: Studio Lambert
TX: September 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk
Multi-award winning, and a global success story, Gogglebox has consistently been one of Channel 4’s biggest hits and continues to reflect different communities across Britain. Returning for a 14th series, Britain's sharpest armchair critics are set to once more share their insightful, passionate and sometimes emotional critiques of the week's biggest and best shows.
Bill Turnbull: Staying Alive
Prod co: Atomized Studios
TX: October 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk
When former Breakfast TV host and presenter Bill Turnbull shared his advanced prostate cancer diagnosis on The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand To Cancer, it came as a huge shock to all, not least Bill himself. His testimony had viewers in tears and he was inundated with support.
Nearly two years after his initial diagnosis, Bill has chosen to share his story in an intimate and emotional film which explores how life has changed for him and his family and negotiates the challenges cancer has thrown at all of them.
Prostate cancer is one of the least known but deadliest cancers – it affects 47,000 men a year in the UK and kills one many every 45 mins. Bill, like many others, chose to ignore the early warning signs and by the time he went to his doctor, the cancer had spread from his prostate to his bones. His dream of a long and happy retirement with his wife Sarah and their children Henry, Will and Flora had been brutally cut short. But 10 months after his diagnosis, 9 rounds of chemotherapy and 73 episodes of Game of Thrones later, Bill isn’t yet ready to say goodbye and is prepared to try anything, however alternative – and sometimes controversial.
We’ll also see Bill throw himself back into work which ‘makes him feel in control of his life again’, be it commentating on his beloved Wycombe Wanderers or presenting on Classic FM and share cancer notes with friends and former colleagues including Sian Williams, Stephen Fry and Nick Robinson.
Flirty Dancing Series 2
Prod co: Second Star
TX: November 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk Sally Kent sallykent@objectivemedia.group
Ashley Banjo returns to front the innovative and feel-good hit that puts old school romance back into modern dating. The series, returning at an earlier timeslot of 8pm, sees two disillusioned daters taught two halves of the same bespoke dance. Across a week they train separately, working with Ashley and his team to get to grips with their routine. The pair then meet for the first time in a cinematic setting where they don’t speak, just dance, deciding afterwards based on the dance alone whether they want to go on a second date. Shot throughout the UK, in a range of glorious, real world locations and with two sets of singletons paired up per show, will it be love at first dance?
Escape to the Chateau – Series 6
Prod co: Kindling Media
TX: Autumn 2019
Contact: Nick Walker NWalker@Channel4.co.uk
It’s five years since Dick and Angel bought the Chateau de la Motte Husson. Now with their exquisite wedding and events business booming, Dick and Angel are busier than ever. To kick off the brand new series they have initiated Operation Sous Sol - Transforming their basement into a state of the art professional kitchen and utility room in a bid to reclaim the family kitchen back for them and their children, six year old Arthur, and Dorothy, who’s now five.
It’s not just the basement that gets the Strawbridge’s magic touch – Angel has big designs on landscaping the front of the Chateau. Dick’s dream of doing up an old vintage bus comes to fruition, Angel spots a rickety old canal boat ripe for renovation for their moat, and Phase 3 of transforming the coach house for Angels parents, Jenny and Steve continues to keep the Strawbridges dream of multigenerational living a reality. Despite their continued engineering conundrums and design dilemma’s Dick, Angel, Arthur and Dorothy are truly settling into French Chateau life. And to celebrate this year, they plan to throw a very French Christmas celebration.
DRAMA AND COMEDY
The Accident
Prod Co: The Forge
TX: October 2019
Contact: Debra Clavey DClavey@Channel4.co.uk
BAFTA-winning writer Jack Thorne (National Treasure, Kiri, Cast Offs) returns with a compelling and timely four-part drama. In a Welsh community that has been left behind, a large construction project offers hope for a better future. But an explosion, followed by a catastrophic collapse, leaves many dead, children included, and the community devastated. Polly (Sarah Lancashire – Kiri, Happy Valley) is the wife of the local politician (Mark Lewis Jones – National Treasure) who championed the project. Their rebellious daughter, Leona (Jade Croot) broke onto the site on the day of the explosion, but now is left with a lifelong disability after the disaster. As grief gives way to a torrent of anger and blame, the community finds itself torn apart. It falls to Polly to hold the town together and face the challenging truths that emerge. With BAFTA-winner Side Babbett Knudsen (Borgen, Westworld), RTS-winner Joanna Scanlan (No Offence, Getting On), BAFTA Cymru Award-winner Eiry Thomas (Keeping Faith, Rillington Place), Genevieve Barr (The Silence, Press) and Shaun Parkes (Line of Duty).
The End of the F***ing World S2
Prod Co: Clerkenwell Films
TX: November 2019
Press Contact: Georgie Hobbs GHobbs@Channel4.co.uk
“A biting, hilarious, pitch black comedy” - Express
“Striking dialogue, hormone spikes and all the emotional in-betweens” – Vanity Fair
RTS Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated series The End of the F***ing World returns. After a series finale that left viewers reeling, this series sets the action two years on, with Alyssa (Jessica Barden) still dealing with the fallout of the events of the first series. The acclaimed first series garnered a legion of fans and instantly became one of All4’s most-binged shows. It remains the best performing original All 4 Exclusive ever. The second series of the RTS Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated show sees the introduction of the new character of Bonnie, played by BIFA-winning Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth, the forthcoming Star Wars: Episode IX). Bonnie is an outsider with a troubled past and a mysterious connection to Alyssa.As to the fate of James (Alex Lawther), who we last saw shot on a beach at the end of series one, expectant fans awaiting the new series — which will have its global premiere on Channel 4 this November – will have to watch on to find out…
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Prod Co: Lupus Films
TX: Christmas 2019
Press Contact: Georgie Hobbs GHobbs@Channel4.co.uk
Once there was a little girl called Sophie, and she was having tea with her mummy in the kitchen. Suddenly there was a ring at the door. Sophie’s mummy said, “I wonder who that can be…?”
Coming this Christmas is a new hand-drawn animated special of Judith Kerr OBE’s beloved picture book. Benedict Cumberbatch (Brexit: The Uncivil War, Sherlock, Avengers: Infinity Wars), Tamsin Greig (Tamara Drewe, Friday Night Dinner, The Guilty, Episodes) David Oyelowo (Les Miserables, A United Kingdom, Nightingales) David Walliams (Walliams & Friend, Little Britain, Come Fly With Me) and Paul Whitehouse (Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, The Fast Show) will portray the familiar characters of Daddy, Mummy, Tiger, Narrator and Milkman respectively, while seven-year-old newcomer Clara Ross makes her TV debut as Sophie.
E4
Rob Beckett’s Savage Socials
Prod co: Thames
TX: September/October 2019
Contact: Jess Culshaw JCulshaw@Channel4.co.uk Nicola Moon Nicola.Moon@fremantle.com
Celebrities who think their embarrassing Snapchats and Instagram stories are a thing of the past better think again, as funny man Rob Beckett takes on the most hilariously banal and attention seeking content you missed from the last week.
In this brand-new series we’ll experience the of world of celebrity and social media through Rob’s eyes as he dives head-first into a pool of the most topical, hilarious and outrageous content, all the while offering the most savage commentary on TV.
Each episode will be a fast-paced joyride through Rob’s ‘savage feed’, a catalogue of the latest memes, digital blunders and celebrity socials from the previous week.
An initial eight weekly episodes will be followed by two one-hour end of year specials, featuring the same cheeky, irrepressible audacity.
Pants on Fire
Prod co: Fulwell 73
TX: October 2019
Contact: Nick Walker NWalker@Channel4.co.uk
Pants on Fire hosted by Emma Willis will see teams of bluffers put to the ultimate test as new and emerging faces from the world of comedy go head-to-head in an extreme bluffing show to try to impress a celebrity jury.
Grime Gran
Prod co: Lemonade Money
TX: October 2019
Contact: Jess Culshaw JCulshaw@Channel4.co.uk Dingile Kasote DKasote@Channel4.co.uk
Outside of linear, E4 has commissioned an exclusive series of digital episodes for E4’s YouTube and Facebook pages from Margie “Grime Gran” Keefe. Through her grandson Rooney “Risky Roadz” Keefe, Margie has a surprisingly deep relationship with the UK Grime scene. Years ago, she bought Rooney his first video camera, the camera that went on to film the earliest performances of the UK’s best MCs.
Over the years Margie has got to know all the major players in the UK scene as they visited her east London house, catching up with all her favourite MCs for a cup of tea and a chat, to find out how things have changed since those early days on grime. She’s now bringing her straight talking interviews to E4.
Spencer, Vogue and Wedding Two
Prod co: Rumpus
TX: October 2019
Contact: Denize Belingy DBelingy@Channel4.co.uk Annabel Rudden annabel@plankpr.com
The family Matthews are back almost six months since they made a huge impression on E4’s audience. The success of series one across social media and the wider press hasn’t been lost on Spencer…”It’s put us right at the top of the Z list”, he comments with a hint of his trademark humour. Spencer, Vogue and Wedding Two promises to be every bit as hilarious as the first series.
Baby Theodore is now 10 months old - he’s crawling, laughing and eating solids, but will we capture his first steps over the course of the summer? Then there’s the small matter of throwing the Wedding party they always wanted. Their first ceremony was an intimate affair for close family - and Vogue was heavily pregnant. This time, the couple want to invite all their friends and Vogue can wear the type of dress she couldn’t fit into first time around!
The new series will feature regular appearances from Vogue’s family including her mum Sandra – fast becoming an Instagram sensation in her own right. Ex- ‘Made in Chelsea’ alumni Hugo Taylor and Millie Mackintosh will also be on hand to give the couple some much needed assistance with the wedding preparations. And last but certainly not least, dog Winston.
Celebrity Coach Trip
Prod co: 12 Yard Productions
TX: October 2019
Contact: Faye McCormick FMcCormick@Channel4.co.uk Jess Culshaw JCulshaw@Channel4.co.uk
You’ll need to pack your budgie smugglers because Celebrity Coach Trip is hitting the road again! Legendary international tour guide Brendan Sheerin will be welcoming a new set of celebrity sun-seekers for an action-packed tour around the Mediterranean.
The six pairs joining the coach on day one of the latest tour are Queen of the Jungle, Vicky Pattison and her pal, one third of TV’s Thomas brothers, Scott Thomas; radio presenter, Kate Lawler and viral video sensation, Arron Crascall; Love Island friends, Georgia Steel and Alexandra Cane; Made in Chelsea’s Francis Boulle and his friend, comedian, Sarah Keyworth; sisters Cleopatra and Yonah Higgins from iconic 90s pop group Cleopatra; and Brendan pairs up solo travellers, former EastEnders bad boy Harry Reid and ex-The Apprentice candidate James Hill.
This 10-day tour will see the pairs enjoy exhilarating excursions and cultural outings, and for the first time, the new series will see double the action as each episode will be a full hour of sun, sea and scandal on E4 five nights a week.
STAND UP TO CANCER PROGRAMMING
This Autumn, Channel 4 will once again bring stars from across the worlds of entertainment, music and sport together for a raft of dedicated Stand Up To Cancer programming as they join forces to do their bit in the fight against cancer.
Celebrity Hunted
Prod co: Endemol Shine UK
TX: Oct 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk
Eight famous faces – celebrity chefs Aldo Zilli & Jean-Christophe Novelli, former Jungle campmates and best friends Stanley Johnson & Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo, Rugby legends Martin Offiah & Gavin Henson and former TOWIE stars & best mates Lucy Mecklenburgh and Lydia Bright – will attempt to stay off the radar and remain at large for two weeks as a crack team of hunters try and hunt them down. With former police officers, intelligence and army personnel hot on their tail and faces recognisable across the UK will they be able to stay undetected?
Celebrity Gogglebox
Prod co: Studio Lambert
TX: Oct 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk
The BAFTA award-winning Gogglebox, a firm favourite of Stand Up To Cancer, returns once again with a celebrity special for the sixth time. Some very famous faces will join Britain’s favourite opinionated viewers for a very special edition of the TV review programme as they pass judgement on a vast array of TV goodness. In recent years the show has seen an amazing variety of celebrities share a sofa all in the name of charity; from Naomi Campbell and Noel Gallagher, Jamie Dornan and Nick Frost to One Direction’s Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson, Danny and Dani Dyer, England footballers Dele Alli and Eric Dier, Steve Coogan and Anna Friel and pop stars Olly Murs and Niall Horan.
Celebrity First Dates Hotel
Prod co: Twenty Twenty
TX: Oct 2019
Contact: Lesley Land lland@channel4.co.uk
Nestled deep in the exquisite Italian countryside, the First Dates Hotel is about to open its doors to four famous lovelorn singletons as manager Fred Sirieix and his team of cupids roll out the red carpet for the hotel’s first ever celebrity special in support of Stand Up To Cancer. Already turning heads down by the pool is Blue heartthrob and actor Duncan James who is getting ready for his first ever public date as a gay man. Will it be fourth time lucky for thrice divorced presenter and former weathergirl Ulrika Jonsson as she's love matched with an unsuspecting member of the public? And with TOWIE Casanova Pete Wicks and outspoken TV Presenter AJ Odudu also checking in to the ultimate Hotel di Amore, fireworks are guaranteed