Desperate 4 a hit
C4 rejigs it comedy department
Channel 4 has reshuffled its comedy department, after failing to find a mainstream hit.
Shows such as Peep Show, Green Wing and The IT Crowd have all been critically acclaimed, but struggled to find a decent audience.
Now the channel’s head of entertainment, Andrew Newman, will be promoted to oversee comedy, too.
Newman has been credited with helping Channel 4 regain some ground on Friday nights, where audiences had long been slipping. His shows Eight Out Of Ten Cats and The Friday Night Project have helped stop the ratings rot.
Current head of comedy Caroline Leddy will now have fewer shows to look after – a move the station hopes will allow her to concentrate on developing major comedy projects.
Leddy will also be responsible for Film Four’s comedy output, following her success overseeing Festival, the movie about the Edinburgh Fringe.
Channel 4 is also recruiting for a new comedy commissioning editor.
Published: 23 Jun 2006
