Channel 4 confirms Gogglebox to air tonight as broadcasters adjust TV schedules
British broadcasters continue to make changes to their regular programming schedules as a period of mourning begins for the Queen.
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Your support makes all the difference.Channel 4 has confirmed the new series of Gogglebox will air this evening as planned as the broadcaster feels it will bring a “valuable sense of continuity” for many of their viewers.
The broadcaster said it had made “significant changes” to its schedule in the wake of the Queen’s death but that its purpose was to offer an “alternative” for viewers which it feels is “particularly important at times like this”.
This comes as many British channels including BBC One and ITV continue to make changes to their regular programming schedules as a period of mourning begins for the late monarch.
The hit TV show will launch its new series and return to screens as planned in its usual Friday 9pm slot.
In a statement a Channel 4 spokesperson said: “Channel 4 has made significant changes to our schedule, including added extended news coverage, to ensure that Channel 4 is respectful following the news from Buckingham Palace about the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“Channel 4 exists to offer viewers an alternative and that is particularly important at times like this.
“Gogglebox is a much loved national institution and it will air as planned tonight bringing a valuable sense of continuity for many of our viewers.”
Comedy chat show The Last Leg was due to follow on from Gogglebox on the Channel 4 schedule but the show’s presenter Adam Hills announced they had cancelled the episode as it “didn’t feel right”.
Hills, who hosts the show with Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe, tweeted on Friday: “We’ve decided not to do an episode of @thelastleg tonight.
“It just doesn’t feel right. We’ll pay tribute to Her Majesty next week but for now our thoughts are with her family, and all those affected by the news. We hope you understand.”
BBC One has been aired rolling news coverage throughout Friday with a BBC News Special filling regular TV slots and coverage of a thanksgiving service in memory of the Queen at St Paul’s Cathedral scheduled for 5.45 pm.
Programmes including EastEnders, Homes Under The Hammer, Bargain Hunt and Doctors moved from their usual channel and were airing on BBC Two throughout the day.
The broadcaster also released its schedule for Saturday and Sunday, which included almost constant Queen-related content on BBC One.
Interspersed with national and regional news programmes were the following programmes: Picturing Elizabeth: Her Life in Images, The Queen and Us: 50s, The Queen and Us: 60s, Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen, and When the Queen Spoke to the Nation.
A special edition of The One Show: Our Queen Remembered, is also due to air at 6.45pm on Saturday.
Similar coverage will be broadcast on Sunday, with special editions of shows including Songs of Praise, Countryfile, and Antiques Roadshow.
Special programmes; Elizabeth: Her Passions & Pastimes, The Queen and Us: 70s, The Queen and Us: 80s, and will also be broadcast, ahead of the highly anticipated new series of Sir David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet II.
At 11pm, The Longest Reign: The Queen and Her People, will be shown.
On Thursday, BBC One interrupted Bargain Hunt at 12.39pm to deliver the statement from Buckingham Palace which said royal doctors were concerned for the Queen’s health.
Six hours later, after an image of the flag at Buckingham Palace was shown at half mast, presenter Huw Edwards told viewers: “A few moments ago Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
Edwards then read out the statement from the Palace while dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, in line with the BBC’s dress code for when a member of the royal family dies, as a mark of respect.
Netflix series The Crown was also among the productions to amend its filming schedule.
A spokesperson for Netflix confirmed: “As a mark of respect, filming on The Crown was suspended today. Filming will also be suspended on the day of Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral.”
ITV also made scheduling changes ahead of the weekend, including rolling coverage and three new specially made documentaries.
The broadcaster announced that Good Morning Britain, presented by Susanna Reid and Ben Shepard would air as usual between 6am and 9.30am, before a special news programme – ITV News: The Proclamation of the King – with continuous news coverage until 12.30pm.
At 2.15pm, a documentary narrated by Nicola Walker – Our Queen, The People’s Stories – will air.
The documentary sees people from all walks of life reflect on meeting the Queen and share how those special moments affected their lives.
The Queen in Her Own Words, narrated by Julie Etchingham, will follow at 3.10pm.
It uses speeches, letters, broadcasts and personal memoirs to reveal the public and private side of Queen Elizabeth II, including Christmas messages and special broadcasts that brought the nation together in times of tragedy and of triumph.
Finally, at 4.05pm, ITV will air Queen and Country, narrated by Alison Steadman, which explores the monarch’s love of the country and rural life – from Scotland to Norfolk to Windsor.
After further pre-scheduled programming ITV News at Ten will air at 10pm until 10.45pm, followed by another chance to see Queen Elizabeth II – The Longest Reign, narrated by Jonathan Dimbleby, which previously aired on Thursday.
ITV said that more details of its schedule for Sunday September 11, and next week will be made available in due course.
All TV anchors across channels were dressed in black on Friday as a mark of respect.
Big TV launches next week include the return of the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 on September 13 and the return of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One on September 17, but it is not yet known if their scheduling will be affected.