The BEST Channel 4 shows of all time
Every Channel 4 show, ranked
We've compiled the average episode rating for every Channel 4 show to compile this list of best shows!
#1 - LEGO Masters
The hunt is on for the UK and Ireland's best Lego builders, as some of the most skilled brick fanatics do battle.
View Episode Rankings#2 - Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls
Ten celebrities must survive entirely on their own on an uninhabited island in the Pacific.
View Episode Rankings#3 - Very British Problems
Twitter feed Very British Problems is adapted for television. The show features different famous faces talking about the crushing weirdness and awkwardness of life as a Brit.
View Episode Rankings#4 - Heston's Fantastical Food
Culinary alchemist Heston Blumenthal brings back the wonder and excitement of childhood food, awakening the kid in every viewer as he builds the world's largest 99 Flake, makes a packed lunch of giant KitKats, and a record breaking bag of Hula Hoops. Heston creates a whole pub inside a pie and a giant pyramid tea bag, served in a suitably enormous teapot. He also rejoices in all that is magical about Christmas treats with Britain's biggest Christmas pudding, edible tree decorations, and a snow globe and snowball cocktail.
View Episode Rankings#5 - Hunted (2015)
The real-life thriller where ordinary people go on the run from a team of expert hunters. Where will they hide? Who can they trust? What would YOU do?
View Episode Rankings#6 - The Great Pottery Throw Down
Twelve of Britain's best home potters compete to be crowned best at the wheel.
View Episode Rankings#7 - The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off
Celebrity bakers enter Britain's most famous tent and put their skills to the test, as they Stand Up To Cancer and inspire viewers to do the same.
View Episode Rankings#8 - Trigger Happy TV
A hidden camera comedy program starring Dom Joly deliberately entering into ludicrous or embarrassing situations in public places, all filmed surreptitiously. Sketches took place in a variety of locations primarily on the streets of Central London and Cheltenham. The humor is derived through the public’s reactions to Joly’s shenanigans rather than the usual format, where members of the public are themselves pranked.
View Episode Rankings#9 - The Adam And Joe Show
The Adam And Joe Show was a sketch series featuring the talents of Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish. As well as starring in the show they also wrote and directed it. The series was filmed in their from their bedsit in Brixton, London.
View Episode Rankings#10 - Undercover Boss
High-flying executives take extraordinary steps to ensure their companies are fighting fit by going undercover in their own businesses. This is the original UK series, which was later spun off into shows of the same name in other countries.
View Episode Rankings#11 - Gordon Behind Bars
Gordon Ramsay thinks it's time Britain's prisoners paid their way. There are 88,000 prisoners in the UK and it costs the taxpayer £38,000 to keep each of them locked up for a year. Gordon's given himself six months to set up a successful food business behind bars. His aim: to get prisoners cooking food on the inside, to sell on the outside.
View Episode Rankings#12 - This Is England
The story takes place during the 1986 FIFA World Cup. As Shaun completes his last school exam, he realises he will have to find his way in the world. His friends, who include Woody, Lol, Smell, Gadget and Meggy, are still around, looking for love, entertainment and employment
View Episode Rankings#13 - Speed with Guy Martin
Guy Martin loves pushing the boundaries of speed in search of a buzz. He claims that nothing can match the adrenaline rush he gets when he's racing on public roads around the Isle of Man TT course at 200mph. Now he wants to see if he can find anything that can give him the same kick. In this series, he creates four-speed based challenges, exploring the boundaries of physics, learning about the science of speed, and getting his hands dirty in a range of unique engineering projects.
View Episode Rankings#14 - The Island with Bear Grylls
Bear Grylls abandons a group of British men and women on a remote, uninhabited Pacific island, where they must stay completely alone for six weeks. With only the clothes they are wearing and some basic tools, do they have what it takes to survive?
View Episode Rankings#15 - Queer as Folk
Set in and around the Manchester 'scene', this groundbreaking drama, written by Russell T Davies, documents the lives and loves of young gay men Stuart, Vince and Nathan
View Episode Rankings#16 - Any Human Heart
Jim Broadbent, Matthew Macfadyen and Sam Claflin take on the lead role of Logan Mountstuart in William Boyd's adaptation of his best-selling novel. From one man's emotional, tumultuous and unpredictable journey through the 20th century comes a funny, moving and ambitious four-part drama. Told through Logan's intimate journals, beginning with the idealism and arrogance of his youth, through the triumphs and tragedies of middle-age, to the unexpected dramas of his twilight years - his story reveals that all our lives are ultimately random, and defined by luck and seemingly inconsequential choices. Hayley Atwell, Natasha Little, Emerald Fennell, Ed Stoppard, Samuel West and Kim Cattrall star alongside Gillian Anderson and Tom Hollander as the lovers, wives, friends and infamous figures he encounters throughout his ordinary and yet utterly extraordinary life.
View Episode Rankings#17 - 1066: The Battle for Middle Earth
The untold story of the Norman Conquest, 1066 sheds new light on one of British history's darkest events, not through the eyes of Kings and Conquerors but from behind the shield wall, through the eyes of the ordinary villagers caught up in the chaos. Combining full-throttle battle action, compelling performances and epic cinematography, 1066 is an epic adventure of invasion, resistance and war that tells the story of ordinary men and their families across three tribes - the English, the Normans, and the Vikings.
View Episode Rankings#18 - The Promise
The Promise is a drama series which following the lives of an 18-year-old Londoner as she visits present-day Israel and her grandfather, a soldier in the British peace-keeping force during 1940s Palestine.
View Episode Rankings#19 - Peep Show
Mark and Jez are a couple of twenty-something roommates who have nothing in common - except for the fact that their lives are anything but normal. Mayhem ensues as the pair strive to cope with day-to-day life.
View Episode Rankings#20 - Grand Designs
Presenter Kevin McCloud follows some of Britain's most ambitious self-building projects, as intrepid individuals attempt to design and construct the home of their dreams.
View Episode Rankings#21 - The Great British Bake Off
Britain's best amateur bakers compete in the iconic white tent - all united in their aim to prove their baking skills and impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
View Episode Rankings#22 - Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course
Gordon Ramsay has been cooking in professional kitchens for over 25 years. He's been taught by some of the best chefs in the world, and in turn has taught some of the best himself. Now he's giving viewers a simple guide to how it's all done. Each episode concentrates on a different theme essential for the modern cook - from the secret of cooking with chilli and spice, through to baking, roasting and slow cooking - and is packed full of useful tricks and tips to save time and money.
View Episode Rankings#23 - Channel 4 (UK) Documentaries
Channel 4, in common with the other main British stations, airs a highly comprehensive range of programming. It was established in 1982 with a specific intention of providing programming to groups of minority interests, not catered for by its competitors, which at the time amounted to only the BBC and ITV.
View Episode Rankings#24 - Shameless
The lives and relationships of a group of siblings and their estranged father Frank Gallagher on a rough Manchester estate.
View Episode Rankings#25 - Teachers
Created by Tim Loane, the series follows a group of secondary school teachers in their daily lives. While the first series centres heavily around probationary teacher Simon Casey (Andrew Lincoln), later series have an ensemble approach. The cast changes dramatically over time, with few original characters remaining by the fourth series. While some of these disappearances are explained, others happen between series without explanation. The first three series are set in the fictional Summerdown Comprehensive, which merges with another school in the fourth series to form Wattkins School.
View Episode Rankings#26 - Cucumber
Original drama series from Russell T Davies exploring the passions and pitfalls of 21st century gay life, beginning with the most disastrous date night in history
View Episode Rankings#27 - Big Fat Quiz
Jimmy Carr presents his big, fat and fiendishly difficult pub quiz with top celebrities.
View Episode Rankings#28 - Four in a Bed
B&B owners throw open their doors and take turns to stay with each other, as they compete to be crowned best hosts.
View Episode Rankings#29 - Jamie at Home
Jamie Oliver is back doing what he does best - cooking at home, with simple, accessible ingredients, including fruit and veg that he recently started to grow in his garden. Each programme is themed around one primary ingredient, it could be a look at all the different varieties of tomatoes, what you can do with lovely home-grown potatoes, or how to cook different cuts of lamb - but he also looks at how easy it is to grow your own produce; sometimes in weird and wonderful ways.
View Episode Rankings#30 - The Restoration Man
George Clarke is The Restoration Man, travelling the British Isles meeting the stubborn romantics who want to breathe new life into the architectural treasures he unearths on his journey. His mission is to help them transform these undervalued gems into brand new homes fit for 21st century living.
View Episode Rankings#31 - Elizabeth I
Emmy®-winner Helen Mirren and Oscar®-winner Jeremy Irons star in Elizabeth I, a two-part miniseries event that explores the intersection of the private and public life of Elizabeth I (Mirren) in the latter half of her reign, offering a personal look at her allies, her enemies and her suitors as she struggled to survive in a male-dominated world. Elizabeth I sheds light on both the personal and public side of England's most enigmatic queen. The daughter of King Henry VIII, Elizabeth I (1533-1603) reunited a nation divided by religious strife, faced down the Spanish Armada and, after an unprecedented 45-year reign, died one of England's best-loved monarchs. During her time as Queen, poets and playwrights wrote about her, artists painted her, and composers dedicated works to her, all contributing to the legend of the "Virgin Queen" who never married. In the public's mind, Elizabeth's romantic life is nearly completely overshadowed by her political achievements and military triumphs. Elizabeth I looks beyond the myth at the woman behind the crown, striking a balance between the queen's desire to find love and passion, and her responsibility to the monarchy.
View Episode Rankings#32 - Indian Summers
Epic drama set in the 1930s as India dreams of independence but the British cling to power.
View Episode Rankings#33 - Inside Nature's Giants
Inside Nature's Giants will delve under the skin of the world's largest animals to reveal their unique anatomy and unravel their evolutionary secrets. Most wildlife documentaries show you how animals behave, but by exploring inside nature's giants we emerge with a deeper understanding of how these animals work. We will discover how elephants are able to consume so much food; why crocodiles have such an incredibly strong bite; why giraffes have such a long neck and why the closest living relative of the whale is a hippo. This is Natural History as you have never seen it before - from the inside out.
View Episode Rankings#34 - Food Unwrapped
The food and science series that travels the world to explore the industry secrets behind our favourite produce, industry secrets, and how foods are really made.
View Episode Rankings#35 - Jamie's 15-Minute Meals
Jamie Oliver returns with a brand-new cookery series that pushes the concept of fast, everyday food to the next level. Building on the success of Jamie's 30 Minute Meals, this new show squeezes the cooking process even further, with each half hour episode featuring two delicious, nutritious, super-fast family meals back-to-back. So even if you're rushed off your feet at work, there's no excuse for not giving these meals a go.
View Episode Rankings#36 - The Armando Iannucci Shows
The Armando Iannucci Shows is a series of eight programmes directed by Armando Iannucci and written by Iannucci, David Schneider, Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil. It was shown on UK's Channel 4 in October 2001. Each show had a rough theme, often somewhat existentialist in nature, around which Iannucci would weave a series of surreal sketches and monologues. Recurring themes in the episodes are the superficiality of modern culture, our problems communicating with each other, the mundane nature of working life and feelings of personal inadequacy and social awkwardness. Several characters also make repeat appearances in the shows, including the East End thug, who solves every problem with threats of violence; Hugh, an old man who delivers surreal monologues about what things were like in the old days; and Iannucci's barber, who is full of nonsensical anecdotes.
View Episode Rankings#37 - Phoenix Nights
Award-winning comedy. Peter Kay plays Legendary social club owner Brian Potter and his hapless band of staff and regulars are determined to make the Phoenix Club a success no matter what.
View Episode Rankings#38 - The Book Group
Clare, a neurotic American, moves to Glasgow and starts a book group to meet new, interesting people. But Kenny, Dirka, Rab, Fist and Janice turn out to be rather more interesting than she bargained for...
View Episode Rankings#39 - Father Ted
One small island off the west coast of Ireland. Three priests. One housekeeper. A bunch of nuns - and the most consistently awful weather on the planet. Step into the world of Father Ted!
View Episode Rankings#40 - The Crystal Maze
A team of 6 contestants play a series of physical, mental, skill and mystery games across 4 themed zones gaining as many crystals as possible which determine how many seconds they get as they attempt to win a prize inside the Crystal Dome.
View Episode Rankings#41 - The F Word
The F-Word is a British cooking show featuring chef Gordon Ramsay. The programme covers a wide range of topics, from recipes to food preparation and celebrity food fads.
View Episode Rankings#42 - The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
The show that gives fans another bite of Bake Off when one helping just isn't enough. Jo Brand chats to a panel of celebrities about all the action, and meets the latest baker to leave the tent.
View Episode Rankings#43 - SAS: Who Dares Wins
Selection for the SAS is one of the world's toughest job interviews and physical fitness is only the starting point. What's really being tested is psychological resilience and character as candidates undergo sleep deprivation, interrogation and a series of increasingly complex mind games. In this programme, five ex-special forces soldiers re-create tasks from the SAS's secret selection process, putting 30 civilian men through the ultimate test of their physical and - more importantly - their psychological resilience.
View Episode Rankings#44 - Damned (2016)
Social workers Rose and Al work in a children’s services department, dealing every day with the all too familiar social issues that flood the media. Swimming against a tide of bureaucracy and pedantry, and contending with the absurdities and irrationalities of life in a county council office, the pair attempt to navigate their way through their equally trying professional and personal lives.
View Episode Rankings#45 - The Mill
Period television drama based on real-life stories and people of the textile mill workers at Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire, England, and combined with fictional characters and events.
View Episode Rankings#46 - Ali G, Innit
Ali G travels throughout Britain, interviewing unsuspecting leaders and politicians.
View Episode Rankings#47 - Nathan Barley
Nathan Barley is 26. He is a webmaster, guerrilla filmmaker, screenwriter, DJ and in his own words, a "self-facilitating media node". He is convinced he is the epitome of urban cool and therefore secretly terrified he might not be, which is why he reads Sugar Ape Magazine - his bible of cool. Dan Ashcroft writes searing columns for Sugar Ape. He's considered astonishingly cool, but only by those he despises. He is surrounded by idiots and practically worshipped by Nathan (whom he considers to be their king). He is 34. Why has he failed to move on? Claire Ashcroft, 27, is Dan's sister. Like Dan she despises "cool". Unlike Nathan she despises novelty, trash, irony and gadgets. She is furious that no one will fund her hard-hitting documentary about a choir of reformed junkies.
View Episode Rankings#48 - The Big Fat Quiz of Everything
Jimmy Carr returns to asks questions on art, literature, television, music, geography, politics, science and celebrity from the last 100,000 years of human history.
View Episode Rankings#49 - 24 Hours in Police Custody
The landmark documentary series that captures real life drama at its most intense, following police detectives around the clock as they investigate major crimes
View Episode Rankings#50 - Back
Sitcom following estranged foster-brothers Stephen and Andrew as they vow to take over the family business following the death of their father.
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