Producer Quits RI:SE After Four Days On Air

The producer of Channel 4’s new breakfast show RI:SE has left the programme after just four days on air following disagreements with the production company.

A spokesman for the programme today confirmed Killick’s departure saying: “It has been obvious for some time that Mark’s interests were at odds with the rest of the production team.”

Killick was brought in from the BBC, where he was producer of Watchdog, to add a journalistic edge to the programme. However, RI:SE has received unenthusiastic reviews from the critics and during its first week on air audiences have peaked at just 300,000, with share of viewing hovering between 4% and 5%.

Minor changes have already been made to the show, which is hosted by Sky Sports presenter Mark Durden-Smith and Sky One presenter Kirsty Gallacher, and further alterations are expected from Killick’s successor, deputy editor of Channel 5 news, Deborah Turness.

Despite being consistently beaten in the ratings by all of the other terrestrial channels, RI:SE, which was created as a joint production between Princess Productions and Sky, is playing down its lack-lustre performance. A spokesperson for the show said: “RI:SE is targeted at a totally different demographic from the Big Breakfast so comparisons between the two are meaningless.”

He added: “We are pleased with the show’s performance so far, but it’s unfair to make judgements after just five days of being on air.”

Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.co.uk

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