Clearstory wins C4 commission for Jimmy Carr Destroys Art
October 25, 2022
Blue-chip factual production company Clearstory today announces it has been commissioned by Channel 4 to produce Jimmy Carr Destroys Art, a unique television experiment which sees comedian Jimmy Carr invite an audience to destroy controversial artworks.
Tapping into the debate around acceptability of art, historical monuments and problematic public figures, the show brings the subject into the public eye in a way that has never been seen before.
Set to air on Channel 4 at the end of October as part of Channel 4’s 40th anniversary programming, the format of the show will see a debate hosted by Jimmy Carr with special guests as they discuss what to do with a range of artworks from famous, controversial artists including Eric Gill, Pablo Picasso and Rolf Harris.
The programme was commissioned by Shaminder Nahal and Tom Beck at Channel 4, with Clearstory’s Russell Barnes the executive producer, and Anna Blue as the showrunner.
Other recent commissions for Clearstory include the eight-part landmark series Art That Made Us for BBC2 and African Renaissance for BBC4.
Shaminder Nahal, Head of Specialist Factual at Channel 4, said: “This ambitious programme aims to tap into contemporary conversations about art and culture in a challenging and provocative way. In the tradition of Channel 4, it is hoped it will provoke debate in a creative and ambitious way.”
Russell Barnes, Director and co-founder of Clearstory, added: “Jimmy Carr Destroys Art is a show designed to celebrate Channel 4’s disruptive roots. By using a high stakes approach, it shakes up how we see and talk about art. ClearStory’s brand is all about innovating new ways to think about serious issues through accessible formats. We want to engage viewers with compelling debate, making full use of television as a visual medium to question conventional thinking in a provocative and stimulating way”.