Channel 4 unveils Spring schedule

Channel 4 has today announced details of its "ambitious" programming schedule for the Spring.

The broadcaster has seen its audience increase 6% year-on-year so far this year, making it the only terrestrial to improve in the ratings. As a result its programme budget has been upped to a record £485 million for 2005 (from £470 million last year).

"It’s been a fantastically strong start to the year for Channel 4 and we’re confident we can continue this run of form into the Spring," said C4's director of programmes, Kevin Lygo, today.

"We’ve got the most diverse and ambitious programme lineup anywhere on British TV, which, allied to a clear and consistent new scheduling policy, has helped the channel defy the decline in audiences suffered by other terrestrial broadcasters."

Headlining the new lineup are more current affairs and "real-life" documentaries, including most notably an expansion of the number of Dispatches episodes from 12 to 28. Also featured are a chemotherapy fly-on-the-wall show Chemo, a programme called Make Me Normal following autistic children and The Strangest Village in Britain, about a self-contained community of special needs people.

New dramas and documentaries are being earmarked for the 9pm slot on Thursday, including The Government Inspector, about the life and work of David Kelly and Born with Two Mothers, a drama about an IVF mix-up that results in a white woman giving birth to a black boy.

Reality hits Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and Supernanny are expected to return for "extended" second runs.

New Friday night programmes include a "studio-based vehicle" for Johnny Vegas, a topical panel show fronted by Jimmy Carr and a full series of Bo' Selecta! spinoff A Bear's Tail.

As expected, Big Brother will also be back from the end of Spring for a sixth series.