Lights Out For RI:SE As It Fails To Shine For Channel 4
Channel 4 has finally axed its long suffering breakfast show RI:SE after an tumultuous twenty months on air.
The Big Breakfast replacement, which launched less than two years ago to a mixed reception, will be screened for the last time on 19 December, four months before its current contract was due to expire.
The show was revamped earlier this year in an attempt to boost ratings and the existing presenting team, which included Mark Durden-Smith, Colin Murray and Kirsty Gallacher, were replaced by Big Brother 3 winner Kate Lawler and Iain Lee (see RI:SE Gets New Presenter As Part Of Revamp).
However, the relaunch did not significantly boost ratings and the programme consistently failed to attract an audience of more than 300,000 in its regular 7am to 9am slot. This compares to viewing figures in excess of 1 million for the Big Breakfast during its heyday.
Commenting on the decision, Channel 4’s director of programmes, Tim Gardam, said: “We have to reluctantly conclude that RI:SE is not going to grow a sufficient audience to justify it continuing into a third year. After discussions with Princess Productions, we have both decided it is best to end the programme at Christmas.”
Executive producers, Henrietta Conrad and Sebastian Scott, added: “Over the last year and a half we have worked hard to make RI:SE a show which we are proud of. It is now time to move on and develop new shows for a channel going into a new era.”
RI:SE got off to a shaky start when it launched back in April 2002 and immediately attracted criticism for its attempts to mix news and entertainment. The programme’s first producer resigned after just four days on air and this lead to almost immediate speculation that the programme was due to be axed (see Producer Quits RI:SE After Four Days On Air).
Details of Channel 4’s alternative programme strategy for the breakfast slot are expected to be announced later this year.
Channel 4 is also understood to have approved plans to launch a new free to air television channel targeting older viewers. The channel, provisionally titled More 4, will launch on Freeview sometime at the end of next year as a mixed genre offering aimed at 35 to 50 year-olds (see Channel 4 Plans Digital Offering For Older Viewers).
Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.co.uk
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