Region plays key role in Channel Five’s revival

THE REVIVAL of Channel Five and a resurgence in wholesome TV programmes set in Yorkshire have gone hand in hand, according to the channel’s controller.

Ben Frow spoke about the impact Yorkshire has had on Channel Five’s fortunes during a virtual Edinburgh Festival event in which he said ‘ Yorkshire is a part of Channel Five’s DNA’.

Channel Five, which has thrown off its downmarket reputation in recent years thanks to new owners, broadcasts the new adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small, the Yorkshire Dales veterinary drama which joined a stable that already included ‘ rustic reality’ shows such as Our Yorkshire Farm, The Yorkshire Vet and Yorkshire’s Steam Railway.

Mr Frow revealed that Channel Five had swooped on the opportunity to remake All Creatures, which originally ran in the 1970s and 80s, after the BBC’s response to the concept was lukewarm, as they feared it would not appeal to the youth market.

Channel Five committed to a full series as well as a pilot, and have been rewarded with their biggest hit since 2016.

An episode of Our Yorkshire Farm, which follows Clive and Amanda Owen as they juggle nine children with working a remote Dales sheep farm, even attracted more viewers than Line of Duty.

Channel Five commissioning editor Daniel Pearl also spoke to the Edinburgh Festival audience, and revealed that the ‘ escapism’ of shows about the countryside, featuring beautiful scenery and close- knit rural communities, had touched a nerve during a time of upheaval and uncertainty.