Channel 4 has announced two new series commissions and a series recommission from Welsh indies.
Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country from Outline Productions Wales was Channel 4’s best performing new 8pm programme brand of 2020 and has been recommissioned for a second peak-time series and Christmas special. Avanti’s The Perfect Pitch has been greenlit for a series of twenty 30-minute episodes in daytime following a successful pilot co-funded by Creative Wales and Cardiff Productions Remarkable Rivers has secured a four-part peak time series for More 4.
It was also recently announced that the Welsh indie Chwarel has secured a deal with Channel 4 for two new series, with 50 hours in Channel 4 daytime and ten in peak. Some of the hours have been co-commissioned with S4C. All series have been commissioned from Bristol-based commissioner Kate Thomas.
KateThomas said “It is such a pleasure to collaborate with these brilliant Welsh indies in bringing Channel 4 ratings success. Crucially, we are creating formats that are returning, and so growing our legacy and pipeline of work in Wales and the West.’’
Kate Thomas, Commissioning Editor - Daytime & Features
At the heart of Channel 4’s 4 All The UK strategy is a significant increase in the organisation’s Nations and Regions content spend – from 35% to 50% of main channel UK commissions by 2023, worth up to £250m more in total.
A revolving cast of British families will explore beautiful Britain in their own beloved caravans, campervans or motorhomes to bring us the ultimate guide to the very best campsites in Britain and help us all plan our future staycations.
Each week, the campers head off to explore a popular caravanning region, from Cornwall to the Highlands. Stripped Monday to Friday, they stay at a different campsite each day, enjoying on and off-site activities and visiting nearby attractions. These sites may boast stunning views, private beaches, adventure pursuits or spa facilities, but which will be our campers’ favourite and win ‘The Perfect Pitch’ regional title?
This warm and funny competition format from Avanti is a celebration of the amazing British countryside designed to inspire viewers to get out and see it for themselves. The series will be Executive Produced by Emyr Afan with Simon Cooper as Co-Exec & Series Director.
Remarkable Rivers, Cardiff Productions, 4x60’ episodes, More 4 peak
Richard Hammond will be traversing the UK to explore our remarkable rivers, from source to mouth, and the incredible people and stories that line their banks. The new four-part series will explore the rivers Severn, Test, Clyde and Derwent sharing the historical, ecological and economic importance of each. The series is being a co-production led by C4 Accelerator company, Cardiff Productions, working with Ursus and Chimp Productions.
Richard will get to enjoy the rivers, swimming, rafting and even paddle boarding down the route of the river, meeting the people for whom the river is a key part of their lives, either for travel, commerce, or recreation. The series will embrace new shooting styles and technology to give a unique perspective of each river from the riverbed and capture the abundance of British wildlife that relies on these important waterways.
The series is a co-production between Cardiff Productions, Ursus Productions and Chimp Productions. Presenter, Richard Hammond. Exec Producer, Pat Younge, Series Director, Ben Anderson.
Sarah Beeny’s New Life In The Country, Outline Productions, 8x60’, Channel 4 peak
Outline Productions Wales has secured a recommission for a second series of Sarah Beeny’s New Life In The Country following Sarah, her husband Graham Swift and their four sons as they continue to create a new life on a former dairy farm in Somerset.
Having overcome the challenges of building their new home, a stone-clad, seven-bedroom house, the family now have limited time and a tight budget to fit out the interior. Graham has big plans to capture the spirit of a historic stately home, while Sarah and they boys each have their own dreams. And with so many rooms to complete, there’s a huge amount of work for them all to do.
Outside the house, the family continue to enjoy rural pursuits that offer a change of pace from the building work. Sarah and Graham want to learn traditional crafts and skills that are practiced by local artisans, even calling on the boys to help with the reed harvest so that Sarah can attempt making cane furniture. Sarah and Graham also want to encourage the family to try and grow more of their own veg, add more animals to the family’s menagerie, and install a camera into their owl box to learn more about the local wildlife.
The executive producers are Laura Mansfield and Helen Veale. The series producer is Simon Greenwood, the director Jonathan Profaska and the production executive is Isa Campbell. The series is edited at Gorilla in Cardiff.
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Notes to editors
If you own an amazing campsite or you are an avid camper interested in taking part, please send an email with your name photo and picture your campsite or camping vehicle to: caravan@avantimedia.tv
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