ITV loses ceremony after 20 years

Channel 4 has poached the British Comedy Awards from ITV after 20 years.

The broadcaster will air December’s ceremony live, promising to ‘inject spontaneity, excitement and edge into the new look awards show’.

The awards were first broadcast on ITV in 1990, the only year they were hosted by Michael Parkinson before Jonathan Ross took the hotseat.

However, the relationship took a knock in 2007, when then ceremony was not aired. ITV decided to suspend broadcast because of vote-rigging in the 2005 People’s Choice award – when Robbie Williams handed the gong to Ant and Dec even though viewers voted for Catherine Tate.

In recent years, the show has also been aired on a time delay to avoid controversy, with some of Frankie Boyle’s gags from last year’s event censored, for example.

The awards will move to Channel 4 for at least three years, with plans to extend the relationship so that it helps comedy at the grass roots level, too.

Shane Allen, Channel 4’s head of comedy, said: ‘The British Comedy Awards are crucial in recognising the excellence, originality and rude health of the comedy industry. At their best, the awards have a spirit of mischief, hilarity, surprise and danger about them, so C4 feels like a natural fit.’

Mike Brosnan from producers Unique Television added: ‘After 20 great years with ITV, the time is right for the Awards to grow beyond a once a year event into a brand which will support comedy across all platforms from the grass roots up.

‘Channel 4 is renowned for its development of comedy and shares our vision for the British Comedy Awards to play a broader role in championing British comedy performers and the industry as a whole.’

Published: 7 Jun 2010