Channel 4 digital team seeks entertainment formats, comedy series and docs

Competition format Get in the Van is fronted by America Foster (left) and Spuddz

Channel 4 in the UK is looking for entertainment formats for its youth-skewing digital brand Channel 4.0, as well as comedy series and documentaries for its digital comedy and doc channels.

Speaking at the Children’s Media Conference (CMC) in Sheffield yesterday, Channel 4’s digital development executive Hanz MacDonald said he is commissioning for Channel 4.0, which launched last year across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat and is aimed at 13- to 24-year-olds.

“We’re looking for entertainment formats which are hilarious, mischievous and often authored by the UK’s biggest creators. Channel 4.0 shows need to speak authentically about culture,” MacDonald said.

Channel 4.0 is home to titles including Secret Sauce, Flight Mode, Get in the Van, The Dating Pool, It’s Alright to Be White, Swiped and Mist’Driven.

The exec is also commissioning scripted and stand-up comedy shows for the commercially funded public service broadcaster’s digital comedy channel, and factual and documentary content for its digital documentaries strand. Channel 4 Comedy and Channel 4 Documentaries can both be found on YouTube.

“We’re interested in comedy with a late-night feel, which is maybe politically punchy and always orientated around something with a purpose,” he said, adding that he is seeking “incredible access” in the documentary space.

Meanwhile, Channel 4 is open to branded partnership opportunities and is keen to work with producers with experience in working with kids’ and family audiences.

MacDonald said: “We’re looking for factual entertainment and entertainment series conceived for social audiences. Producers with expertise at working with children and content aimed at family audiences are particularly welcome partners in that space.”