[alex_front2]

C4 doesn't know what it wants to be.

I remembered when C4 was launched way back in 1982 (ah Countdown with Richard Whitley) it wanted to be different, intelligent, bit edgy, innovative and take risks bbc wasn't.

It would take a tired format and do something a bit different, even if results were cringey or poor (eg soap /Brookside, sitcome/ Desmonds, youth show/ Network 7, chat show/ don't forget your toothbrush, music show/ The Tube, satire/ Brass Eyes, breakfast tv/ Big Breakfast, magazine yoof show/ the Word which gave us Terry Christian, Mark Lamarr and Nirvana and girl band L7's famous performances).

Somethings were a bit awwful like that paedo bait show with kids singing adult songs but at least it was doing something if totally wrong. Max Hedroom wasn't my bag but I appreciated what c4 wanted to do.

Now it's just hyper formulaic rating chasing nonsense. Gogglebox is not edgy as it thinks, just a spin on a tired reality format. BUT at least it's something a bit different and not The Girl with Three Eyes, endless repeats of Come Dine with Me, and "white people only" comedy with the likes of Jack Whitehall, Jimmy Carr and Kevin Bridges. All this has basically destroyed C4. Apart from the ace c4 news it's dire.

C4 needs to try something new that's smart. And realise that c4 news has several non-white newsreaders and yet the sky hasn't fallen in.

C4 needs a flagship live show, to inject unpredictability (michael hutchence flirting with paula yates on big breakfast, mark lamarr shaming a homophobic reggae star on the Word, Sean Ryder unable to not sweAr on Don't Forget Your Toothbrush) but I can't see live shows being broadcast anymore.

It's really depressing that ITv's live XF is more dangerous and unpredictable than c4.

It also needs to create it's own stars or poach talent who haven't quite made it ala Mark Lamar, Christian Guru Murty, Janet Street Porter, Christopher Morris, Richard Whitely and "Max Hedroom" and some of the cast from Drop the dead donkey