T4 (Channel 4) Explained
T4 was a scheduling slot on Channel 4 (T4 Saturday usually 9 am until 2 pm) and E4 (T4 Sunday usually 9 am until 5 pm). It also aired on weekdays in the school holidays. The slot had a separate station identification on screen graphic from Channel 4 and E4. Channel 4 originally produced the strand in-house until 2002, when production was passed onto independent companies. The slot was targeted at the 16–24 age group.
Until 25 March 2012, T4 aired on Channel 4 both Saturday and Sunday. To make way for the introduction of Sunday Brunch in March 2012, T4 Sunday was later moved to run on E4. T4 Saturday remained on Channel 4 and some programmes that previously appeared within the T4 block, such as The Simpsons, remained on Channel 4 on Sunday afternoons.[1] [2]
On 12 October 2012, Channel 4 announced that it would be axing T4 at the end of December 2012.[3] The show ended on 29 December 2012.
Early history
Early on in T4s run, programmes aimed at children often aired in addition to the content aimed at older viewers, with shows such as CatDog and 2 Stupid Dogs appearing in the early schedule of the strand. Around 2001, this was dropped and the strand refocused entirely towards the teen/youth market. For the first few months of T4s life, its idents consisted of an animated spaceman like character. In 1999, this character instead appeared on the idents during the early morning pre-school shows, in addition to the weekend children's programmes that fell outside the T4 strand. These idents continued in use until 2004.
T4 on E4, 2001
After E4's launch in 2001, T4 initially also had a slot on the channel, however this was short lived. It also had an equally short lived Friday evening slot on Channel 4. Following the sale of Quiz Call by Channel 4, it was rumoured that a T4 channel was one of the proposals to fill the vacant slot on Freeview (and subsequently on satellite and cable). However, the plan is also thought to have been rejected by director of television Kevin Lygo, as the slot was filled by Film4 +1 (now replaced, in turn, by Channel 4 +1).
Later years
Initially broadcast only on Sundays, the success of T4 saw the strand subsequently extended to include a Saturday block.
In more recent years, T4 had provided Channel 4 a broadcast window of programmes that are also broadcast in primetime slots on E4, such as The Big Bang Theory. In addition, following Channel 4's acquisition of terrestrial broadcast rights to The Simpsons, the series began to feature regularly within T4. Friends featured regularly within T4 until Channel 4 relinquished the rights to the sitcom in 2011.
Vernon Kay, Dermot O'Leary, Miquita Oliver and Alexa Chung returned for the last show on 29 December 2012 alongside current presenters Matt Edmondson, Nick Grimshaw, Jameela Jamil, Georgie Okell and Will Best.
T4 on the Beach
See main article: T4 on the Beach. T4 also staged an annual summer concert, T4 on the Beach, in the resort of Weston-super-Mare (for its first two years in 2003 and 2004, it was held in Great Yarmouth under the name Pop Beach), and previous musical acts that have appeared include McFly, Calvin Harris, Little Boots, and The Zutons. The concert in July 2010 was the sixth year running that the event had taken place in Weston-super-Mare which featured Dizzee Rascal and Florence and the Machine, among others. After the strand's cancellation, there was going to be a replacement titled Summer Sets on the Beach which would air live on ITV2 on 31 August 2013, but it was axed due to a lack of ticket sales.[4]
T4 Stars Of...
Normally bookended at the tail end of the year, the T4 Stars Of... concert was broadcast live from Earls Court. The event was first held in 2009 and since then had become an annual fixture in the T4 events calendar. The Stars Of... title usually preceded the year in which it was being held e.g. Stars of 2010, as it was widely regarded as the replacement show for the now defunct Smash Hits Poll Winners Party that T4 broadcast from 2001 to 2005.
2009 line-up
2010 line-up
2011 line-up
Presenters
Programming
- 90210 (2009–2012)
- Age of Love (2007)
- The Album Chart Show (2006–2012)
- Andromeda (2000–2005)
- Angel (Seasons 1 and 2 only, heavily edited) (2000–2001)
- Angela Anaconda (2001–2003)
- Animal Alphabet (1998–1999)
- As If (2001–2004)
- Average Joe (2003–2005)
- Being... N-Dubz (2010–2011)
- Beauty and The Geek – Both the British and American versions have aired (2006–2008)
- The Big Bang Theory (2008–2012) – now on E4 and E4 Extra
- Big Brother (In particular, censored repeats of the live Friday night eviction shows on Saturdays) – Shows when Big Brother Series are usually aired (2000–2010)
- Big Brother's Little Brother – Shows when Big Brother Series are usually aired (2001–2010)
- Biker Mice from Mars (1998–1999)
- Celebrity Big Brother – Shows when Celebrity Big Brother Series are usually aired (2001–2010)
- Celebrity Predictions (2005–2007)
- Chancers (2004–2006)
- Charlie's Angels (2011)
- Charmed (Season 8 only; seasons 1–7 originally broadcast on Channel Five) (2006–2007) – now on E4 Extra
- City Guys (2000–2001)
- Clone High (2003)
- Coach Trip – Series 1 and 2 only; later repeated on More4 (2005–2006)
- The Crush (2010–2011)
- Dawson's Creek (1998–2001) – now on ITV2 and ITVX
- Desperate Housewives (2006) – Although only on its Wednesday night slot on Channel 4, the Sunday night at 6.45pm repeat was axed after just the first six episodes of season 2 due to poor ratings
- Dirty Sexy Things (2011)
- Eden (2002)
- Entourage (Heavily edited to suit timeslot) (2006–2012)
- Family Guy (Heavily edited to suit timeslot) (2000–2005) – now on ITV2
- Frasier (1998–2004) – now on Channel 4
- Friends (1998–2011) – now on Comedy Central and Channel 5
- Frock Me (2008–2010)
- Futurama (2004–2006) – now on Sky1 G-Girls (2003) – now on All 4
- (2006)
- Glee (2010–2011)
- Great British Hairdresser (2011)
- The Hills (2006–2010)
- Hollyoaks: Extreme Challenge (2006)
- The Hollyoaks Music Show (2008–2011)
- Hollyoaks Omnibus – A signed version of the omnibus including all 5 episodes aired in that week aired every Sunday around 9am–12pm (times may vary) (1998–2012)
- Hollyoaks on the Pull (2000)
- Hollyoaks: Summer's Got a Secret (2008)
- Homemade – Ran for 1 series (2006–2007)
- Joe Millionaire (2003–2005) – now on All 4
- Johnny Bravo (1999–2003) – also on Cartoon Network
- King of the Hill (1998–2010)
- KoKo Pop (2010–2012)
- Made in Chelsea (Series 1–4 only, heavily edited (2011–2012) – now on All 4
- The Magic Keeper (1998–1999)
- Malibu, CA (2000–2003)
- Master of the Musicverse – Music trivia quiz aired during the summer schedule (2007)
- Model Behaviour (2001–2002)
- Musicool (2007)
- My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss (2004)
- New Girl (Season 1 only) (2012)
- New Look's Style the Nation (2011)
- The O.C. (Sometimes edited from the version shown at 9pm on E4 to suit timeslot) (2004–2007) – now on ITV2 and ITVX
- One Tree Hill (2004–2012) – now on ITV2 and ITVX
- Orange unsignedAct (2007–2009)
- Party in the Park (1998–2004)
- Perfect Couples (2011)
- Popworld – Was given a revamp in 2006 but later axed in 2007 (2001–2007)
- Princess Nikki (2006)
- (2007)
- (2008)
- Rachel Stevens: My World (2005)
- Reaper (2008–2009)
- Relentless (2005–2006)
- Renford Rejects (1999–2001)
- Rock School (2005–2006)
- Rules of Engagement (2008–2012)
- The Saturdays: What Goes On Tour (2011)
- Scrubs – Every Sunday roughly 3.00pm–4.00pm (Edited to suit timeslot) (2002–2010) – now on E4 Extra
- Sesame Street (1998–1999)
- Shipwrecked (1999–2012)
- The Simpsons – Every Sunday roughly 4.00pm–5.00pm (Heavily edited to suit timeslot) (2004–2012) – now on Sky1 and Channel 4
- Sister, Sister (2002–2004) – now on Trace Vault
- Smallville (2002–2011)
- Solo Spice (2001)
- The Sopranos (Heavily edited to suit timeslot) (2000–2007)
- Stargate SG-1 (1998–2007) – now on Sky One
- (2002–2005) – now on Pick TV and Sky Atlantic
- Summer Daze with Blackberry (2012)
- Suburgatory (Season 1 only) (2012)
- T4 Honours (2005)
- T4 MobileAct Unsigned (2008–2009)
- T4 Movie Special (2004–2012)
- T4 on the Beach, 4Music On the Beach, Postcard from T4 On the Beach and various other spin-off shows (2003–2012)
- T4 'Stars of...' and various other spin-off shows (2009)
- T4: Sugababes Special (2006)
- Taina (2001–2003)
- That Paralympic Show (2010)
- Totally Frank (2005–2006)
- Totally Spies! (2002–2004)
- Transmission With T-Mobile (2006–2009)
- Two and a Half Men (2007–2012)
- Ugly Betty (Repeat of the Monday night episode) (2007–2010)
- Ultimate Traveller (2010)
- Vanity Lair (2008)
- Vodafone TBA (2006–2007)
- The West Wing (Heavily edited to suit timeslot) (2000–2006) – now on All 4
- When Women Rule the World – Repeat from Wednesday's show (2008)
- Will & Grace (1999–2006) – now on Comedy Central
- Wise Up (1998–2000)
- The World's Greatest Popstars (2009)
- WWF Heat (2000–2001)
- Your Face or Mine? (2002–2003)
Executive staff
T4's executives were Henrietta Conrad (executive producer) and Sebastian Grant (series producer) for Princess Productions, and Cath Lovesey (series editor) and Sangeeta Bhaskar (Channel 4 executive) for Channel 4.
Notes and References
- http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/t4-sundays-set-to-move-to-e4/5038218.article T4 Sundays set to move to E4
- http://www.imediamonkey.com/t4-to-move-to-e4-to-make-room-for-sunday-brunch/ T4 to move to E4 to make room for Sunday Brunch
- http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a430400/channel-4-axes-t4-brand.html Channel 4 axes T4 brand
- News: 2013-05-31. Weston's Summer Sets on the Beach is cancelled. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-04-10.
- http://www.contactmusic.com/news/when-one-door-closes-a-new-time-slot-opensc4-axes-t4-in-search-of-something-new_3323975 When One Door Closes a New Time Slot Opens- C4 Axes T4 In Search Of Something New
- http://cwb-online.co.uk/features-article.php?id=267 Passion for fashion
- http://www.jamesgrant.com/media/client/margherita-taylor/74?cc-check=1& Margherita Taylor
- http://www.primeperformersagency.co.uk/profile/ben-shephard/ Ben Shephard
- Web site: All 4 - The on-demand channel from 4. www.channel4.com.
- http://www.spoonfed.co.uk/artist/dj-music-1425/mc-harvey-15227/ MC Harvey
- http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/entertainment/food_and_drink/s/1053730_table_talk_anthony_crank Table Talk: Anthony Crank
- http://www.radiocentre.org/latest-industry-news/958-capital-fm-announces-dave-berry-as-new-breakfast-show-host 95.8 Capital FM announces Dave Berry as new breakfast show host
- http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/channel-4-to-replace-t4-with-a-new-music-show/288798 Channel 4 to replace T4 with a new music show
- http://www.tvscoop.tv/2009/01/tv_gallery_t4s.html "TV Gallery: T4's new presenter, Jameela Jamil"
- http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/Will+Best-245891.html Exclusive Interview With Will Best
- Web site: Matt Edmondson named T4 presenter. Ryan. Love. 4 April 2011. Digital Spy.
