A documentary on the legal woes between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard headlines the new spring lineup from U.K. broadcaster Channel 4.
At the channel’s Content Showcase in London, chief content officer Ian Katz unveiled a slate of “purposeful, provocative but never predictable” programming that he hopes will get people “thinking, arguing and asking questions about the world in which we live.”
“Depp vs Heard” will be a three-part series by BAFTA-nominated series director Emma Cooper, investigating the notorious defamation trial that captivated global audiences for three straight months last year. The case — dubbed the world’s first ‘Tik Tok trial’ — was a global media event and raised significant issues regarding violence, gender and the nature of justice in the post-truth era.
Other titles announced include “Partygate: The True Story,” from the makers of BAFTA-winning “Killed By My Debt.” The docudrama promises a deep dive into the political scandal that erupted when 10 Downing Street was revealed to have hosted parties during the height of the COVID crisis, when gatherings were prohibited.
Also announced was “The Pill” with Davina McCall, a follow-up to her documentaries on menopause; the U.K. version of international hit survival show “Alone”; “Evacuation,” an inside story of the British military campaign to evacuate Kabul airport in 2021; and “The Climate Emergency Season,” a three-part series aiming to spur on tangible changes to fix the problem.
The Content Showcase also launched Channel 4.0, a platform specifically for youth content, highlighting Channel 4’s dedication to engaging young audiences and its transition to a digital-focused commissioning strategy. Channel 4.0 has gained 100,000 subscribers in the five months since its launch.
In addition, Channel 4 announced the return of “The Windsors” for a fourth season, with Harry Enfield reprising his role as the newly crowned King Charles III.
Adding to the line-up are new commissions including: “Gender Wars”; “Secrets of the Female Orgasm”; “Andrew: The Problem Prince”; “A Paedophile In My Family: Surviving Dad” (w/t); “Untold” Series 2; “Amputating Alice”; and “Adam Hills: Grow Another Foot”; as well as new Channel 4.0 digital series “Tapped Out.”
“From holding politicians to account over Partygate to examining the vexed debate over gender identity, from exposing the unspoken side-effects of the pill to seeking solutions to avert climate disaster, these are shows that speak to the concerns of young British viewers,” said Katz.