First look at new Channel 4 film as broadcaster praises Leeds production companies

Altogether Different, a brand new film designed to celebrate collective differences in Britain, stars the likes of Prue Leith, Steph McGovern and Kevin McCloud.

Management praised the work of Leeds production firms Duck Soup and True North in launching the film.

It is launched just a few weeks after Channel 4 officially opened its new Leeds headquarters at the Majestic building.

It is due to air on Friday, November 19 at 9pm but readers of The Yorkshire Post can view it early on the paper’s website.

Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4, said: “Channel 4 is proud of the relationships that it has forged with production companies like Duck Soup and True North in Leeds and across the UK.

“Working together, not only are we making some of the most entertaining and sometimes challenging programmes for our audiences, we are also supporting the local economy as well as creating training and jobs for young people who might otherwise not have the opportunity, or even consider the possibility of a career in the creative industries without Channel 4 and our partners in Leeds.”

Opening with a twist on the film rating system by classifying it W for Weird, signed by Ms Mahon, Davina McCall then tells the audience, tongue in cheek, that “there’s nothing normal about the UK or anyone who lives here”.

In the film, comedian Rosie Jones proudly boasts her Northern credentials and she is joined by fellow comedians including Taskmaster’s Greg Davies, The Last Leg’s Adam Hills and Jamie Demetriou aka Stath.

Other rising stars and familiar faces featured in the film include: Yinka Bokinni; Stuart & Scarlette Douglas, Anna Richardson (Naked Attraction), Noel Fitzpatrick (Supervet), Big Narstie; Paralympian Libby Clegg; Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Liam Dutton (Channel 4 News) and Fred Sirieux (First Dates), who observes “you people always had a certain… je ne sais quoi”.

The film ends with artist Grayson Perry, with Ms Leith in his sidecar, riding off into the distance.

Andrew Sheldon, creative director and founder of True North, said: “Channel 4’s commitment to the nations and regions is vital.

“They are a catalyst for creativity across the UK, through their presence with their regional offices, through their support of the production community, and through their enabling of a generation of young and talented people who otherwise might not have an opportunity to build a TV career.

“The result is better representation and portrayal on screen and a fairer share of the economic benefits of TV production for local economies.”

Bekki Wray-Rogers, co-founder of Duck Soup, said: “Without Channel 4’s very real investment and commitment to the nations and regions, films and TV series like This is England simply would not exist and neither would the companies who made them.

“Channel 4 is the expert in nurturing and facilitating the regional production industry and creative talent outside London, it wrote the rule book and its dedication to that mission ignites the careers of so many of the creative talents that make Britain’s very best TV.”

Gogglebox’s Siddiqui Family explain in the film, “We’re the nation that watches TV to watch other people watch TV” whilst The Lateish Show host, Mo Gilligan, points out: “Different, it’s the one thing that we’ve all got in common.”

Altogether Different will air across Channel 4’s linear, digital and social channels.

The future of Channel 4 remains up in the air after the Government staged a consultation over the summer as to whether to privatise the broadcaster.

Ministers claim that taking Channel 4 out of public ownership will ensure its long-term future.

However, a report from professional services giant EY said such a move would cost the UK economy £2bn and see thousands of jobs lost around the country.

The report finds that a £2bn contribution could be transferred from the creative economies outside of London, to a new private owner of Channel 4.