Channel 4 celebrates Friday Night Dinner’s tenth anniversary with special night of TV

Channel 4 is to celebrate Friday Night Dinner’s tenth anniversary with a special night of TV dedicated to the show.

Friday Night Dinner launched on Channel 4 in February 2011 and has since aired 37 episodes across six series.

Friday Night Dinner Night will mark ten years since first episode with a new 90 minute celebratory documentary, titled Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years And A Lovely Bit Of Squirrel.

It will offer a behind the scenes look at every aspect of the show – from its humble beginnings as a 5 minute pilot, shot in creator Robert Popper’s parent’s house (where his actual dad walked into the middle of a scene to announce, ‘I’m going out now to buy some bin liners’)- to its glorious, tear-inducing series six finale, some 925 screen minutes later.

The documentary will delve into just why the show has touched so many hearts, including interviews with main cast – Tamsin Greig (Mum), Paul Ritter (Dad), Simon Bird (Adam), Tom Rosenthal (Jonny) – plus, of course, oddball neighbour, Mark Heap (Jim)

We’ll also get to hear from some of the supporting cast, including Tracy-Ann Oberman (Auntie Val), Rosie Cavaliero (The Other Jackie), Harry Landis (Mr Morris), Matthew Holness (Chris Parker), Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Nick). As well as meeting fans of the series, including Claudia Winkleman, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Lou Sanders, David Baddiel, Nihal Arthanayake and Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

The documentary will then be followed by the nation’s Top 3 favourite Friday Night Dinner episodes – as voted by the British public – and played back-to back on Channel 4.

Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years And A Lovely Bit Of Squirrel will air on Friday, 28 May at 9PM on Channel 4.

Show Creator Robert Popper said: “I’m delighted that the cast and crew’s amazing work is being recognised in this documentary – unless, of course, everything in it is entirely negative.”

Kenton Allen, Big Talk CEO added: “For the first time ever Friday Night Dinner Night will reveal the true story of how a tiny idea became a massive hit. In these incredibly difficult times, I couldn’t be more delighted that Channel 4 have decided to take fans of the show behind the scenes to discover what it really takes to make a lovely bit of squirrel for millions of viewers.“

Fiona McDermott, Head of Comedy at Channel 4, commented: “Over the past ten years Friday Night Dinner has become a critically-acclaimed, ratings and award-winning smash hit, with viewers loving our dysfunctional family as much as we do.

“We’re looking forward to spending an evening giving them the celebration they deserve, so we hope you can virtually gather your Mum, Dad, Auntie Val and your socially awkward (and distanced) neighbour and enjoy a lovely little night with The Goodman’s.”

A hit both on TV and online, Friday Night Dinner is currently available to watch online via All 4.

Photographer credit: Dave Hogan.