Channel 4 launches winter line-up

UK broadcaster Channel 4 has unveiled its winter line-up with a focus on ambitious documentary series and new comedies.

The advertising supported public broadcaster is launching eight part religious series Christianity, which director of programmes Julian Bellamy called one of its most ambitious events ever. The documentary series, which is produced by Pioneer Productions and CTVC Production and is distributed internationally by FremantleMedia Enterprises, will look at religion through the eyes of celebrities and politicians including Anne Widdecombe and Cherie Blair.

Other factual highlights include Tigress Productions’ Around The World in 80 Trades and a number of factual entertainment shows for its Great British Food Fight season including Fresh One Productions’ Jamie Saves Our Bacon and Heston Blumenthal’s TwoFour-produced show Big Chef Little Chef.

"No other channel can rival our commitment to documentaries and this winter is no different," he added.

It is also premiering two new comedies that emerged from its showcase pilot season. Free Agents, which is produced by Big Talk Productions, the indie behind Spaced and a number of Simon Pegg projects, follows a couple of showbiz agents failing to fall in love, while Kudos-produced Plus One follows a man who is devastated after his girlfriend marries Duncan from Blue.

Drama projects including Red Riding, produced by Revolution Films, which is a three part series based on David Peace’s novels about police corruption during the late 1970s in the shadow of the Yorkshire Ripper.