Drama | Channel 4

Introduction

Channel 4 Drama’s aim is to commission and broadcast the most talked-about and original drama in the UK. We commission new work from both established and up-and-coming drama writers, in order to be a surprising, thought-provoking, entertaining alternative to the drama output on other channels.

Recent shows include returning prison series Screw, Peter Kosminsky’s series about Russian cyberwarfare The Undeclared War, Sarah Solemani and Steve Coogan’s comedy drama Chivalry, acclaimed drama Somewhere Boy from new writer Pete Jackson and Dominic Savage and Kate Winslet’s BAFTA winning I Am Ruth, as well as award-winning, progressive soap Hollyoaks. Through drama, we are always encouraging audiences to look at the world in a new and different way.

Our main focus is on contemporary dramas which will resonate with a British audience. We will consider period drama, as long as the idea has a resonance in the present day or feels like it is seen through an entirely fresh lens. The second half of the 20th century feels like the most likely period for us to land.

While we are always happy to read ideas from new writers, please be aware that all submissions MUST be submitted via a PACT-registered production company. Channel 4 cannot accept unsolicited material from individual talent or members of the public.

Our Drama favourites

Screw

Rob Williams' compelling drama portrays life in prison as you've never seen it before.

Somewhere Boy

For 18 years, Danny's dad has kept him locked away in their home, safe from the 'monsters' outside.

The Undeclared War

Thriller about a leading team of analysts in GCHQ secretly working to ward off a series of cyber-attacks on the UK.

It's A Sin

Russell T Davies drama about five friends whose lives are tested as they grow up in the shadow of AIDS.

See more Drama

What are we looking for?

Priorities for new developments:

Our focus will always be on stories brilliantly told. But in general, a C4 drama should hit one of the following targets:

‘THE WAY WE LIVE NOW’
YOUNG-SKEWING
LOWER TARIFF

‘The Way We Live Now’

This is the kind of drama C4 excels at – drama which innovates, challenges, represents unheard voices and shines a light on who we are today. From GBH to It’s A Sin, from Shameless to Screw, C4 drama transforms the conversation and engages with the issues that really matter, with a lightness of touch and a revelatory approach. Our shows should never feel like homework - they should create waves, make a noise but always entertain with purpose.

We love stories which can really shake the foundations of the establishment, like Jack Thorne’s COVID drama Help which exposed the failure of the government to protect care homes, or powerful family drama I Am Ruth, about teenage mental health and the dangers of unfettered social media. We love political drama – whether set in public spaces and the corridors of power, or small ‘p’ political dramas, engaging with class structures and the dynamics of power through more intimate character stories.

These stories don’t have to conform to one particular format. They can be 4 x 60’ limited series, longer-form returning drama or searing singles. C4 drama has a huge range of tones and approaches. What unites shows as different as The Undeclared War and Chivalry is having a fresh authorial voice with something sharp to say.

Young skewing

C4 has the youngest audience of any of the UK terrestrial broadcasters, and we’re always striving to serve the audience more of the scripted content they love. There can be a huge tonal variation in our younger offerings, from the cultish dark humour of The End of the Fucking World, to the big-hearted warmth of Ackley Bridge. Although both these shows centre younger protagonist, they are also very different – one a spiky, addictive thriller which pushes the boundaries, the other a pre-watershed precinct drama with characters you want to come back to. And what unites them is that the the storytelling feels distinctive and fresh, with something to say. We’re also keen to develop inter-generational dramas which can serve young audiences as part of a broader offering.

We should also note that we’re not in the market for pure YA. Our younger skewing ideas should have universal themes which also appeal to older audiences. To use Netflix as an example, we are more Sex Education than the The Umbrella Academy.

Lower tariff

We are in the market for more commercial series which can deliver at a significantly lower tariff, like recent Swedish remake Before We Die, Danish remake Suspect, Welsh co-pro The Light In The Hall or up-coming US co-pro The Couple Next Door.

These lower-tariff series will be broadly more commercial - good genres for us include crime and psychological thrillers. Casting will always be extremely important. We are always happy to partner on international co-productions, as long as the subject matter has enough UK content and recognisable talent.

Head of Acquisitions Nick Lee will take the lead on these projects, although a commissioning editor from C4 will always be across the creative.

We will never ask you to deliver a show at an unrealistic budget in order to secure a greenlight. These shows must be designed from the start with a lower tariff in mind.

What we aren't currently looking for:

Dystopias
Anthologies
Biopics (tend to work best as singles and often lack urgency)
Period drama which predates the 2nd half of the 20th century.
Pure YA – younger skewing ideas should have universal themes which also appeal to older audiences.

Single drama is not currently a priority, however we will absolutely make exceptions for pieces which feel as urgent and revelatory as Brexit: The Uncivil War or Help.

Submissions process:

Due to the high volume of material we are receiving, we are revising our submissions process. Whenever sending scripts or treatments to the team, please also submit a brief overview of the project, along with the format and the slot it is intended for. We would ask that you only submit ideas which feel like they are relevant to the commissioning priorities as laid out above.

When sending in submissions to anyone in the department, please ensure you always cc Lucy Haig and Lauren Blumfield. Please allow at least 28 business days for us to come back to you with a response, and be aware the response time may be a fair bit longer.

If you are developing an international co-production, ideally with significant funding already in place, then please send to Nick Lee, Head of Acquisitions.

To make sure we are inclusive and accessible to all, please let us know if you require any adjustments or assistance for meetings and communications with you.

FAQs

: Our priority is to deliver high quality drama which entertains, challenges and informs audiences and which fulfils the Channel 4 remit.
: These vary according to the project, we don't commission to slots either in terms of price of schedule.
: Fulfilling the Channel 4 remit in an innovative and original way.
: Please do think about the Channel 4 brand and audience before you pitch, please keep proposals to 2 pages and don't send taster tapes, we prefer to appraise the projects on the merits of the proposal.