Channel 4 launch promo ‘Complaints Welcome’
Channel 4 trailer showcases genuine viewer complaints, read by those being complained about.
Jon Snow, of Channel 4 News, features in the complaints promo.
“This campaign celebrates one of the things at the heart of Channel 4’s identity: challenging the way our viewers think about the world. When there isn’t someone complaining about one of our shows we should be worried.” – Ian Katz, Channel 4’s Director of Programmes
Channel 4 has today released a trailer featuring on-screen talent bringing to life genuine complaints which viewers have made about them. The trail celebrates the range and diversity of Channel 4 stars while also acknowledging the broadcaster’s remit to stimulate debate and discussion.
The promotion, entitled Complaints Welcome features a host of in front of the scenes personnel including Bake Off’s Sandi Toksvig and Prue Leith, Big Narstie and Mo Gilligan, Channel 4 News’ Jon Snow, Catastrophe’s Sharon Horgan, The Last Leg’s Alex Brooker and Adam Hills, The Derry Girls and Grayson Perry as well as five-time gold Paralympic medallist Ellie Simmonds.
All of the on-screen talent share complaints from real gripes viewers have submitted to Channel 4 in the campaign film made by in-house creative agency, 4 Creative. In the film, just before kissing his husband, gay Hollyoaks actor Kieron Richardson reads out the complaint: “I’m not homophobic but do we have to have gay kissing at dinner time?”
Great British Bake Off presenter Sandi Toksvig appears wearing a Top Gun leather jacket, sat on the back of a powerful motorbike while explosions fill the background as she says in a deep, macho voice: “She looks like Tom Cruise.”
Grayson Perry appears as his female alter-ego Claire reading out the complaint made against him: “It wouldn’t be so bad if he tried to make himself look like a normal woman!” The complaint read by Big Narstie is: “Too black”. And Paralympic swimming superstar Ellie Simmonds states the objection put to Channel 4 about Paralympians – “They’re not real athletes”.
And Sharon Horgan, co-writer and co-star of Channel 4’s awarding-winning Catastrophe, sits amidst a group of elderly men in a gentleman’s club and repeats her complaint: “This just confirms my suspicion that women aren’t funny”.
Other Channel 4 faces featured in the film include: Kevin McCloud, Katherine Ryan, Fatima Manji, Dick Strawbridge and Angel Adoree, Jimmy Carr, Jamali Maddix, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Rachel Riley, Cathy Newman and Jamie Oliver.
