Some of Channel 4’s most popular programmes face being axed or delayed due to financial problems at the broadcaster.
Despite boss Alex Mahon earning £1.2million last year, Channel 4 has reportedly found itself short of funds.
Among the shows set to feel the pinch are cult late-night hit Naked Attraction, Scared of the Dark and reality series Four Weddings.
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The crisis comes after Mahon and colleague Ian Katz argued that Channel 4 funds independent production companies in order to fight off a proposed Government plan to privatise it.
The Mail on Sunday reports that staff at the channel are calling it a “bloodbath”, with Naked Attraction, Scared Of The Dark and Rescue: Extreme Medics all being axed.
(Image: channel 4)
Four Weddings has also been ditched despite a team from an independent production company having been commissioned to make it.
Fixed-contract staff working on the show were reportedly laid off.
Even one of the channel’s most popular shows, The Last Leg, has had the length of the new series trimmed to save money.
The Friday night programme, hosted by Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, will return next month for a seven-week run instead of the usual nine.
Channel 4 is thought to have instructed lawyers to thrash out deals with heads of production companies to get out of contracts for shows which are worth millions of pounds, leaving expensive legal bills and exit fees.
A source told The Mail on Sunday that the channel believes it is better to cut its losses, with little-watched shows such as reality series Rise And Fall, which is understood to have cost the channel £14 million, believed to be part of the problem.
One insider said: “Everyone is calling it a Channel 4 bloodbath.
(Image: channel 4)
“At first everyone was in total shock when Four Weddings was cancelled.
“It’s almost unheard of that a show that is going really well is decommissioned, but as news started to spread, other shows were falling down too.
“They were told that Ian Katz had been looking at the channel’s entire output, and they were sorry but it had to happen because there was no money.
“The casting team were already in place to start on Naked Attraction and were all told they were no longer needed as they were not making another series.
“They tried to lessen the blow to the show’s freelance crew by saying they hope to make another series in December, but that doesn’t help them now.”
Mahon and Katz announced last week that they have deferred taking bonuses and scrapped a planned pay rise to help deal with the crisis.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
