UK National Broadcaster Channel 4 Signs Deal With Turner UK For Adult Swim Shows
Today (14th January), UK national state-owned broadcaster Channel 4 has announced they have signed a broadcasting and on-demand content deal with Turner Broadcasting UK for TV shows from their young adult entertainment brand – Adult Swim, including the Emmy award-winning and critically acclaimed animated sci-fi comedy series – Rick and Morty. As part of the deal, new episodes of Rick and Morty from season four and onwards will premiere on Channel 4 in the UK. Channel 4’s youth-skewing entertainment sister channel – E4 will be airing Rick and Morty season one to three from February, this will be the second time that Rick and Morty will have aired on UK free-to-air television (aired first on TruTV’s limited time only Adult Swim block). Channel 4 also promised a frequent “Adult Swim” hour-long block on E4.
In addition to new Rick and Morty episodes and a new Adult Swim block, a large library of Adult Swim content will be coming soon to Channel 4’s VOD (Video on-demand) service – All 4 for free, from launch, the VOD library will feature 300 episodes with hundreds more to come over the next three years. Rick and Morty has been a breakout Adult Swim show in UK, and fans in the UK can now watch all the hilarious intergalactic adventures of a crazed scientist and his panicky grandson on a channel and VOD service that’s free and widely available.
The first ever Adult Swim block on E4 will not only feature Rick and Morty but also the UK television premiere of the Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special, the new block will feature a variety of Adult Swim shows which will also be available to stream as full series boxsets on All 4 in the UK.
Rick and Morty debut on E4 will air alongside the UK premiere of the Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special on E4. The Adult Swim section on the All 4 service (referred to as the “Adult Swim Channel”) will be accessible on the All 4 app. The All 4 app is available for iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Freeview Play and Samsung TVs, as well as games consoles, alternatively the service can be accessed in a web browser at http://www.all4.com.
Adult Swim content on All4 will feature a mix of new and old shows from February including classics Robot Chicken (still in production), Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Venture Bros (recently revived for a new season which has aired in the U.S.) and Squidbillies. Newer content include The Eric Andre Show, the UK premiere of Mostly 4 Millennials, Mr. Pickles, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Hot Streets, Ballmastrz 9009 and much more to come in 2019 and beyond.
In the past, Adult Swim shows have aired on various channels in the UK including CNX (Cartoon Network’s short-lived young adult entertainment channel), Bravo (defunct), FX (now branded as FOX), TCM2 (now TCM’s one hour timeshift channel – TCM +1), FOX, TruTV (was owned by Turner when the Adult Swim block aired, now owned by Sony) and Comedy Central, and in Rick and Morty’s case – the Netflix streaming service.
From The Channel 4 Press Release: Rick And Morty Get Schwifty On Channel 4, E4 and All 4
– New series of Emmy award-winning Rick and Morty to premiere exclusively on Channel 4 in the UK
– Seasons 1-3 will be broadcast on E4 from February
– A huge catalogue of Adult Swim shows to be available on All 4
The brand new and highly anticipated fourth series of Emmy, Critic’s Choice and IGN award-winning Rick and Morty will make its UK premiere on Channel 4, with the first three series airing on E4 from February – the first time ever on free-to-air UK television. This is part of a new brand partnership that will also see hundreds of hours of Adult Swim content being made available to stream for free on All 4.
Described as “the world’s most ingenious animation” (Guardian), and “one of the best shows on television” (Vulture), UK viewers can get up to speed with the duo’s universe-hopping antics on E4. Series 1 to 3 will have the UK flying around Anatomy Park, turning into sentient pickles and bingeing on Interdimensional Cable with our favourite terrified grandson and maniacal genius grandfather from February.
Ian Katz, Channel 4 Director of Programmes, said “Rick and Morty is one of the most anarchic, ingenious and original shows around and the breakthrough animated hit of recent years. I’m thrilled that it’s coming to Channel 4 and E4.”
Rick and Morty will be accompanied by the UK premiere of the Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special on E4. This will be the first of a regular new ‘Adult Swim hour’ block on E4, showcasing episodes from different Adult Swim shows that will be available to stream, as full series boxsets, exclusively on All 4 in the UK.
Karl Warner, Controller E4 said, “Adult Swim’s amazing mix of original ideas and anarchic comedy is the perfect brand partner in E4’s evolution.”
Charlie Palmer, Managing Editor All 4, said, “Adult Swim is a fantastic brand with a clear proposition and a devoted fan base. I’m delighted to have it join VICE and Walter Presents as a featured channel on All 4.”
Over 300 episodes of Adult Swim content will be made available at launch, with hundreds more being added over the next three years, sitting in an Adult Swim-branded ‘Featured Channel’ alongside VICE and Walter Presents. The Adult Swim channel will be available on the All 4 app across Channel 4 owned and operated platforms including iOS and Android devices, on big screens such as Amazon Fire TV, Freeview Play and Samsung TVs, as well as games consoles and online at All4.com.
Pierre Branco, SVP & GM, Northern Europe for Turner said: “We are incredibly excited to be partnering with Channel 4 to bring Adult Swim’s eclectic mix of weirdly wonderful and surreal shows to audiences here in the UK. In this unique collaboration with Channel 4, we are creating a branded destination that will reach fans, new and old, across TV and VOD, building on the huge success of Adult Swim in the US.”
Fans old and new will be able to revisit and fall in love with a vast array of shows as the first batch of programmes arrives in February:
Long running, irreverent and beloved sketch show Robot Chicken including specials on Star Wars, DC Comics and The Walking Dead
Super-villainous The Venture Bros
Meme-generating surrealist wonder The Eric Andre Show and the UK premiere of Andre’s new show Mostly 4 Millennials
Satanic good boy Mr. Pickles
Everyone’s favourite band of sentient fast food Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Hilarious and bizarre Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, with Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories
Backwoods redneck nonsense from Squidbillies
Crime fighting capers with Hot Streets
Suit up for The Game with Ballmastrz 9009
And many, many, many more to come across 2019
All About All 4:
All 4 is Channel 4’s award-winning streaming service, home to original and exclusive shows including, US acquisitions; 30 Rock, Community and 90210; featured channels, such as VICE and Walter Presents; hundreds of box sets of iconic Channel 4 series; as well as live streams and catch up from the broadcast channels.
All 4 is available on a wide range of owned-and-operated platforms including web, mobile (iOS, Android, Windows Phone), console (Xbox, PlayStation) and big screen (YouView, FreeSat, Freeview Play, Samsung, Amazon Fire TV, Now TV). A syndicated version is also available via Sky and Virgin Media.
https://www.channel4.com/press/news/rick-and-morty-get-schwifty-channel-4-e4-and-all-4
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