New Series Of Friends Heads Straight To Channel 4

Channel 4 is to air the ninth series of Friends on Channel 4 and digital platform E4 almost simultaneously.

The show will premiere on E4 on Thursday 9th January with Channel 4 viewers being able to watch the new series from Friday 10th January.

The move marks a turn-around in strategy at Channel 4 which has previously shown its expensive and popular American dramas The West Wing, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under on its digital channel six months before showing them on terrestrial. It was hoped that the scheduling would persuade fans of these series to pay for E4, but the move prompted complaints from viewers.

June Dromgoole, controller of programme acquisitions at Channel 4, commented: “We thought it would be unfair to keep the millions of fans waiting six months to see what happens in the end. Friends has become one of the most popular sitcoms in the world and a benchmark for comedy writing. Channel 4 takes great pride in the effort and investment we have made in making Friends into such a valuable and admired series in the UK.”

If rumours prove correct, this series will be the last ever and is likely to drum up a surge of interest in the US and the UK.

Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com

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