A live-streamed wedding in lockdown will be part of Channel 4’s new programming, the broadcaster announced today.
As the UK adjusts to living in unprecedented conditions and the television industry reckons with its future, Channel 4 has announced the first round of adjustments and new programmes aimed at entertaining and informing viewers at home in isolation.
Wedding in Lockdown, announced as a “historic first” for Channel 4, will follow a bride and groom whose wedding will be streamed online for their family and friends to join in on the celebrations.
The show, which does not yet have a premiere date, follows the news of weddings up and down the country having to be postponed or cancelled.
Also announced is the fast-tracked premiere of The Steph Show, which was due to launch in the Spring but will now begin next week, from presenter Steph McGovern’s living room.
On The Steph Show, McGovern will be celebrating everyday heroes who keep the UK moving, as well as sharing ideas on how to fill your time in lockdown.
“This might not be how we planned it, but I’m itching to get on air and get chatting to all the people out there doing amazing stuff through these crazy times,” said McGovern.
“Whatever you’re up to, we want to bring some much-needed joy to your day and help you navigate your way through the madness.”
Artist Grayson Perry will front Grayson’s Art Show, in which he will teach viewers how to “sculpt, draw and create”.
Grayson Perry - in pictures
Perry will speak to famous artists, as well as encouraging viewers to create art in response to the current time. The resulting work will be displayed in an exhibition.
Another art show, Kirtie’s House of Craft, will see Kirstie Allsopp helping the nation through lockdown through the art of craftmaking.
Meanwhile, Jamie Oliver will be using cooking to help people keep busy in isolation with Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On, which kicked off on Monday, March 23 at 5:30pm.
Oliver will teach viewers recipes tailor-made for living in lockdown and show why there’s no need to stockpile.
And Grime Gran, famous for her expletive-laden rant against supermarket stockpilers, will be making a daily address from Monday-Friday at 11pm from her home in East London, advising the nation on “how not to be a d***” under a time of lockdown.
The new programming also includes a range of informative programmes about coronavirus, including:
Coronavirus: Can You Avoid It? Friday 27th March, 8pm
An analysis of the current outbreak of coronavirus in the UK, interviewing experts in virology, microbiology and epidimology and showing how easy a virus can spread through human transmission. Friday March 27, 8pm
Coronavirus: Can Our NHS Cope? - Monday March 30, 8:30pm
A&E doctor Saleyha Ahsan will answer pressing questions about the capacity of the NHS during the outbreak.
Coronavirus: How Britain is Changing - Monday, April 6
An analysis of the long-term effects of Covid-19 on Britain, from economic policy to pollution to the gap between rich and poor.
Coronavirus: A Day in the Life - Monday, April 6
Set to be shot across the UK on Friday 3rd April, A Day in the Life will combine captured footage with public submissions to illustrate how people around the country are dealing with life in lockdown, looking at a range of professions and family situations.
Coronavirus: Living With It - Monday, April 20
An examination of the experience of people who have caught coronavirus and the way it impacts people’s mental and physical health.
Coronavirus: How Clean is Your House? - Thursday April 9, 8pm
Two families will have their houses forensically examined to show how germs can be spread around the home, and how they can be prevented.