Channel 4 in the UK acquires YouTube show TFI Friday Unplugged

UK public service broadcaster Channel 4 (C4) is bringing classic 1990s entertainment series TFI Friday back to screens in visual podcast format.

Chris Evans

WikimediaCommons

It has acquired six episodes of Virgin Radio UK’s TFI Friday Unplugged, fronted by original presenter Chris Evans.

The spin-off format was launched on YouTube in early February, with Evans welcoming guests such as comedian Ross Noble and actor Delroy Lindo (Sinners). With episodes generally lasting between 30- to 50-minutes, the stripped back shows also feature live music.

The original TFI Friday, made by Ginger Productions, debuted on C4 in 1996 and was a rowdy studio-based format featuring celebrity interviews and wacky games like Freak or Unique. It ran until December of 2000, with C4 later briefly reviving the show in 2015.

TFI Friday Unplugged will premiere on C4 on April 17 and be available to stream on C4 and Channel 4 YouTube. The first episode will feature guests Sam Ryder, Shreya Ghoshal, Jack Savoretti and Peter Capaldi.

Cimran Shah, commissioning editor, reality entertainment, C4, said: “TFI Friday was doing stripped-back, personality-led chat long before visualised-podcasts were a twinkle in our eyes!

“I’m thrilled that this deal brings TFI back to Channel 4, reimagined in a way that feels fresh, immediate and perfectly suited for a new generation wherever they watch Channel 4.”