CELEBRITY SEND OFF: CHANNEL 4 ANNOUNCES NEW DIGITAL SERIES

Channel 4 Sales, the leading digital-first content partner for brands, is teaming up with Co-op Funeralcare for a new social-first branded entertainment series, Celebrity Send Off.  

The three-part series sees famous duos take part in a unique experiment to organise a pretend funeral for their celebrity counterpart with support and advice from the experts of Co-op Funeralcare.  

The couples taking part include Happy Monday’s Shaun Ryder and Bez; Gogglebox’s Marcus Luther and his wife Mica Ven; and national treasure Kriss Akabusi and his daughter Shakira Akabusi. After seeing what they could be in store for, the celebs open-up an honest conversation about how they’d like their funeral to run one day.

In the first episode, Bez takes on the role of arranger for Shaun’s funeral. Bez is proud of the working class roots he and Shaun have shared in Salford which informs his eulogy. Bez also wants to nod to Shaun’s experience with UFOs and Extra-Terrestrial life, which informs the themes of the floral arrangement and wake.

The series was produced by Interstellar who worked with media agency is TSL (The Story Lab) to bring to concept to fruition. The digital content was commissioned by Hanzla MacDonald.

Hanzla MacDonald, Digital Development Executive for Youth and Digital at Channel 4 said: “Channel 4 are pioneers in tackling difficult issues and we are proud that Celebrity Send Off is a way of normalising conversations around death and smashing taboos through entertainment. Teaming up with Co-op Funeralcare to create this series allows us to push these barriers further by creating a talking point that lets people open up to their loved ones about their wishes for when they’re no longer here.” 

Sophie Lloyd, Creative Solutions Leader at Channel 4 Sales said: “Celebrity Send Off typifies the creative capability of Channel 4 Sales’ new creative solutions team. The show is a concept that is as unique as it is thought-provoking and enables a leading brand to tap into the kind of bold and creative storytelling that Channel 4 is known for.”

Rupinder Downie, Content Solutions Leader at Channel 4 Sales said: “Channel 4 takes pride in partnering with brands like Co-op Funeralcare that are eager to spark meaningful conversations. This social series is an example of our commitment to connecting with audiences on a deeper level through engaging content."

Mandip Mann, Head of Client Marketing, Digital & Experience at Co-op Funeralcare, said: “As the UK’s leading funeral provider, we understand how difficult it can be for people to discuss topics related to death and bereavement, particularly with family and friends. And last year, we began our campaign encouraging the nation to talk about things such as your funeral wishes to help give loved one’s peace of mind later.

“That’s why we’re so pleased to be partnering with Channel 4 in creating a content series that builds on the success of that campaign and shows the difficulties people can face when organising a loved one’s funeral without first knowing what they wanted.

“Through this series, we aim to normalise what can often be seen as a taboo topic, using a mix of entertainment to highlight just how much of a difference these conversations can make, as well as inspiring the nation to talk to loved ones about it today.”