Ian Katz Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Hollyoaks fans have been left furious at soap bosses as they announced that the iconic E4 show will be dropping down from five episodes a week, to just three.The soap, which is now exclusively aired on E4, will move from five weekly instalments to three from September.The channel explained the decision by saying this is the “optimum pattern to keep heartland audiences hooked and attract new ones in a highly saturated content market” based on Channel 4 data. Most regular soap viewers watch an average of three episodes per week, according to its research.

EXCLUSIVE: John Cleese‘s Channel 4 show about cancel culture appears to be a dead parrot.

Film4’s annual budget has dropped from £25 million to £22.5 Million for 2024. 

EXCLUSIVE: The former UK chief of one of Europe’s biggest production giants has been drafted in by Channel 4 to advise on the formation of its in-house productions unit.

“A slap in the face” was the verdict of broadcasting union Bectu to Channel 4 bosses’ decision to accept bonuses this year amidst a 250-staff layoff program.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 bosses will take home reduced bonuses in 2024 as 250 staffers are laid off.

Almost every person of Arab, Muslim and Jewish heritage working in TV and film has experienced a deterioration in their mental health following Hamas’ October 7 attack and the subsequent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a leading charity has reported.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4‘s drama boss and head of youth channel E4 are both expected to leave the British broadcaster as it cuts up to 250 jobs.

Channel 4 is merging several commissioning departments including TV drama and film and leaving its Horseferry Road premises as the network sets out its layoffs plan and five-year strategy.

A producer wryly tells us that they arrived to Channel 4 HQ in late 2023 to discover a boarded-up front, feeling their way around to a narrow door on the side of the building “where there stands a huge f***ing bouncer.”

Channel 4 bosses will be grilled on the network’s finances, commissioning slowdown and streaming strategy in front of an influential parliamentary committee next week.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4‘s finance boss is to exit after five years, coming at a tricky time for the Gogglebox network.

It’s been a big week for British broadcasting cancelations.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 has asked third-party production companies to report “historical allegations” about Russell Brand after he was accused of raping and sexually assaulting women.

Channel 4 has “perhaps been a bit more honest” than its rivals about the recent commissioning slowdown, according to progams boss Ian Katz, who said there has been a “perception” that his network’s financial picture is “more dramatic than elsewhere.”

The BBC’s director of unscripted has defended the corporation against claims that it is shutting out new content ideas by rebooting TV shows in its primetime schedule.

K.J. Yossman The WGA strike has had an impact on U.K./U.S. co-productions, Channel 4’s head of content Ian Katz said today. The strike, which has been running since May 2, has spooked U.K. writers who are too loyal or nervous to engage in conversations with U.S. co-production partners, Katz said at a press briefing on Wednesday morning, where Channel 4 unveiled its 2022 revenue results. “A lot of U.K. writers, either out of a feeling of solidarity with colleagues in the States or concerns about not being able to work in the States, don’t want to be involved in any conversations with U.S. platforms,” Katz said in response to Variety’s question about whether the U.S. strike had had any impact across the pond.

Channel 4 executive pay soared to record highs last year amid industry fury over salaries for senior leaders at the UK commercial broadcaster.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4’s content chief Ian Katz has acknowledged that the UK broadcaster is going through a “tough time” amid widespread discontent over show cancelations and cash flow issues.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 has axed documentary series Rescue: Extreme Medics after two seasons.

EXCLUSIVE: Kirstie Allsopp’s popular daytime series Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas is being rested for a year as part of Channel 4’s efforts to cut costs amid a chastening ad market slump.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4’s top executives have indefinitely deferred their six-figure loyalty bonuses amid a revolt from producers, who have voiced dismay at the British broadcaster pleading poverty as senior leaders pocket record pay packets.

Channel 4 content boss Ian Katz has criticized broadcasters, including his own, for too often “defaulting” to “clichéd, picture postcard” depictions of the UK.

The gloves are off for Channel 4’s Naked Education.

Hannah Abraham Guest Contributor 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.

ITVX Hits One Billion Streams After Five Months

K.J. Yossman U.K. media regulator Ofcom is considering launching an investigation into “Naked Education,” a Channel 4 show in which teenagers are confronted with naked adults in a classroom in the name of body positivity. The show, which is produced by U.K. production company Betty, first aired on April 4. Ofcom revealed yesterday it had received 930 complaints about the show, by far the highest number of complaints for any U.K. broadcast in the past week. The nature of the complaints were not disclosed but Ofcom has told Variety it is weighing up an investigation into the broadcast. “We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate,” said a spokesperson.

Channel 4 show Naked Education has attracted nearly 1,000 complaints for showing nudity to 14 to 16-year-olds and airing the scenes before the watershed.The series, hosted by Anna Richardson, is described by the broadcaster as “body-positive” and aims to “normalise all body types, champion people’s differences and break down stereotypes”. Episodes have tackled issues including body hair, male body image, the effects of ageing and cosmetic surgery.They have also featured participants posing nude in front of a class of young people.

“The Great British Bake Off” has introduced Alison Hammond as its new host.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4’s landmark documentary series about former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre has been put on ice indefinitely.

Channel 4 has bought a painting by Adolf Hitler and will let an audience decide whether Jimmy Carr should destroy it in an upcoming televised debate.The show, titled Art Trouble, will feature artworks by a number of “problematic” figures, including Pablo Picasso, convicted paedophile Rolf Harris and sexual abuser Eric Gill.As explained by Ian Katz, Channel 4’s director of programming, the show will see “advocates for each piece of art” present an argument for why the artwork should not be destroyed, before the studio audience ultimately decides its fate.“There are advocates for each piece of art,” Katz told The Guardian. “So you’ve got an advocate for Hitler.

BBC Studios has taken a 25% minority stake in former Channel 4 Deputy Head of Programmes Kelly Webb-Lamb’s Mothership Productions.

Naman Ramachandran U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 was the big winner at the Edinburgh TV Awards, winning six of the 20 awards on offer, including Channel of the Year. The awards returned as an in-person event this year as part of the Edinburgh TV Festival, supported by Screen Scotland. Jodie Comer, who won the 2021 Variety Outstanding Achievement Award, won the best TV actor in a drama award for her performance in Jack Thorne’s Channel 4 drama “Help.” Actor, writer and director Diane Morgan received the 2022 Variety Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of her extensive body of work, which ranges from Ricky Gervais’ “After Life” to “Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe” and includes fan-favorite “Motherland” and and her much loved character Philomena Cunk.

BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore has hit back at Channel 4’s Ian Katz’s view on TV reboots by stating “well Channel 4 bought The Great British Bake Off back.”

Channel 4 Chief Content Officer Ian Katz has said “there is something depressing” about the number of UK TV reboots currently in production.

said.“Key events, relationships and controversies of Andrew’s life” will be explored in the satirical musical, which will star and be written by Kieran Hodgson (Two Doors Down).It is also set to include a “reimagining” of the notorious interview between the duke and Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis in 2019.Ian Katz, Channel 4’s chief content officer, said: “From musical satire about Prince Andrew to an exploration of cancel culture in art via men with very large penises, this season shows that Channel 4 is still as mischievous, disruptive and distinctive as when it was born 40 years ago.“Instead of a nostalgia-thon of highlights from the last four decades, we are celebrating with a collection of irreverent, thought-provoking and hugely entertaining shows that no other broadcaster would air.“If we must age, we plan to do it disgracefully.”Earlier this year, it was suggested Idris Elba was in talks to back a £1billion bid for Channel 4 after the government recently announced its plans to privatise Channel 4.