Channel 4 Axes 'The Circle'

[gottago]

The Circle's been axed by C4. Studio Lambert is looking at trying to get Netflix to do the UK version now.

https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/channel-4...61.article

[Ash101]

The Circle's been axed by C4. Studio Lambert is looking at trying to get Netflix to do the UK version now.

https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/channel-4...61.article

That's a shame. A surprising decision given the figures has seen some growth for the latest run, but we can only assume not enough! I wonder if it would've worked on E4? But I suppose it may be a little too expensive to justify that.

Interesting to note that Netflix have already committed to a third US season of the show, so I wonder if a go at a UK series would be in their benefit anyway considering they film it in Salford.

[XIII]

The Circle never quite hit the zeitgeist and I suspect the fact it didn’t grow much for the latest series sealed its fate.

[TravisM]

The Circle's been axed by C4. Studio Lambert is looking at trying to get Netflix to do the UK version now.

https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/channel-4...61.article

This is a massive shock. It had a lot more potential and has a legion of fans....bizarre decision.

[Brekkie]

No surprise at all- although ratings improved they were nowhere near enough to justify the cost of such a show. Hopefully Netflix will pick it up as the excellent US version benefits so much by being a British production, avoiding the usual production and editing decisions which make US reality shows a difficult watch.


Cue Big Brother rumours in 3, 2, 1....

[James2001]

Depends if that legion of fans are big enough, or of the right demographic, for them to consider the show worth continuing.

[Johnr]

I’m not sure Netflix would want/need both a ‘UK’ and ‘US’ version when they can just stream the US version to UK viewers

10pm in the schedule was just slightly too late for it sadly, although I’m not sure it would have been strong enough for 9pm either

[Strange]

No surprise at all- although ratings improved they were nowhere near enough to justify the cost of such a show. Hopefully Netflix will pick it up as the excellent US version benefits so much by being a British production, avoiding the usual production and editing decisions which make US reality shows a difficult watch.


Cue Big Brother rumours in 3, 2, 1....

That would be a step back IMO.

C4 were obviously hoping for better numbers.

[DavidWhitfield]

I'm not normally one for reality TV, but I do (did?) enjoy The Circle.

I find it to be a fascinating social experiment to see how people act when they're interacting anonymously online and their motives for making the decisions that they do.

[Amber Avenger]

I wonder if budget might have been an issue for taking it over to E4. I think the budget for originals isn't what it once was, and I think they have put a lot of their eggs in the "Married At First Sight" basket, as they are looking to re-tool the UK version to be more like the Aussie version after that's been such a success - ie loads more episodes. I guess with that, Celebs Go Dating, Made in Chelsea, is there any reality budget left. Out of interest, has The Circle ever had a late night/next day repeat on E4?

The timeslot is an interesting one, I'm sure I read somewhere that towards the end some of the episodes were doing just as well on All 4 as they were on overnight ratings - especially ones that were nudged later in the schedule because of Bake Off's odd end time.

[Ash101]

Out of interest, has The Circle ever had a late night/next day repeat on E4?

They seemed to repeat the celebrity special week (which aired on C4 in the 9pm slot) on E4 between 11pm and 1am, same night as broadcast.

I expect we won't see a linear repeat of it on E4 now. Although I have noticed the 7:30pm slot on E4 (which has seen recently success with First Sight AUS & Below Deck) is now reshowing Ackley Bridge form the start...

[PATV Scunthorpe]

I am gutted by this. I would imagine it likely that Netflix would pick up the UK version, it's a British production team after all, filmed in the UK, so spending a little more to film another series without the expense of flying contestants over may seem like an advantage to Netflix.

The only thing I'd find if it moved, would be the feeling it had being shown at a set time and seeing Twitter react to it in real time, something that isn't the same with the US version.

But a possible positive side for Channel 4 is that they're going out on a high, Series 3 having the biggest ratings.

[XIII]

I wonder if Studio Lambert wanted more money for a potential fourth series but Channel 4 didn't agree so both sides decided to part way.

[Brekkie]

I’m not sure Netflix would want/need both a ‘UK’ and ‘US’ version when they can just stream the US version to UK viewers

10pm in the schedule was just slightly too late for it sadly, although I’m not sure it would have been strong enough for 9pm either

Think it actually rated better at 10pm, as Big Brother usually did back in the day as well - although the 9pm competition on BBC1/ITV isn't as consistently strong as it used to be. Generally though I've always preferred these sort of shows as a 10pm alternative to the news, but nowadays it seems other than the news that television packs viewers off to bed (or Netflix) at 10pm now.


It would be easy and relatively cheap UK content for Netflix, but I suspect if anything it might see the US version become more international. Of course this series has one UK contestant who was one of the stars of the series - though only put in as she was one of the stars of another Netflix series, which I think had a UK/US cast as well.

[JetixFann450]

I am gutted by this. I would imagine it likely that Netflix would pick up the UK version, it's a British production team after all, filmed in the UK, so spending a little more to film another series without the expense of flying contestants over may seem like an advantage to Netflix.

The only thing I'd find if it moved, would be the feeling it had being shown at a set time and seeing Twitter react to it in real time, something that isn't the same with the US version.

But a possible positive side for Channel 4 is that they're going out on a high, Series 3 having the biggest ratings.

Well it would make Netflix have an excuse to launch Direct over here.