Channel 4 Autumn Schedule

Yesterday saw Channel 4’s autumn schedule formally announced, with drama getting top billing, according to John Willis, Director of Programming.

Willis also said that C4 had enjoyed a successful year with factual based programming and would continue to do so into the next season. He said that £70m had been invested in the new schedule and this would be reflected in the output.

Mr Willis also took the opportunity to attack BBC2 for following Channel4 scheduling patterns. He said for example, BBC 2 had broadcast Geoff Hamilton’s Cottage Gardens when Channel 4 was broadcasting its Garden Doctors, and the Oprah Winfrey show, of which he said “Our fat Oprah is beating their thin Oprah – but that is not the point.”

Highlights of the new schedule include Alan Bleasdale’s six part tragi-comedy about a Northern village family in crisis that reunites – Jake’s Progress. Hollyoaks – a new teen soap written by the Grange Hill and Brookside writer, Phil Redmond. A new Film on Four season starts which will includeFour Weddings and a Funeral, Howards End, Naked, Raining Stones and Oleanna. Comedy on Channel 4 takes the form of Dressing for Breakfast – a new sitcom for Friday night, Cybil – starring Cybil Shepherd and Crapston Villas – the first British animated sitcom-cum-soap. Making a return will be Clive Anderson talks back and Rory Bremner – Who Else?

Eurotrash- The World Tour is also back. Under the spotlight in this series will be Africa, South America and Japan.

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