Channel 4

Channel 4 is a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television broadcaster in the United Kingdom). It was created by an Act of Parliament and started broadcasting on November 2, 1982. Like the nation's long established public service broadcaster, the BBC, it has gifted broadcasting frequencies, but it does not receive funding from the Television License income. All programming is financed through its commercial activities, which include the sale of on-air advertising.

It is a publicly owned corporation whose board is appointed by OFCOM, in agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Like the BBC it has a public service broadcasting remit. It also has an obligation to provide schools programming.

Channel 4 gave Ricky Gervais his big break on the 11 O'Clock Show, and were so impressed with him they gave him an ill-fated chat show, Meet Ricky Gervais and a comedy lab entitled Golden Years. Stephen Merchant had co-writer credits on the latter two. Gervais and Merchant's star attractions, The Office and Extras were on BBC but the Gervais stand-up shows Animals and Politics received their TV premiere on 4, with the stand-up spliced together with backstage tour antics of Gervais and Robin Ince. New episodes of Meet Ricky Gervais were shown on 4 in 2007.