Channel 4 Sales has secured a two-year deal with Ford as the headline sponsor of Channel 4 Documentaries, extending their existing partnership from January 2026 to December 2027.
The deal continues a successful collaboration between both parties that began in 2021, with Ford’s branding set to feature across broadcast, streaming, and a dedicated Channel 4 Digital pot for activations on social platforms.
The partnership will see Ford sponsor nearly 300 hours of new peak-time documentary and factual programming across Channel 4 and More 4, as well as a wealth of on-demand content on Channel 4 Streaming including The Jury: Murder Trial and To Catch a Copper.
The deal was brokered with the support of WPP Media’s Mindshare, Ford’s media agency.
Sam Hicks, Head of Advertiser Strategy, Channel 4, said: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with Ford, a brand that has a track record of sharing our commitment to innovation. Our sales strategy connects brands with the power of TV, ensuring Ford remain central to our audiences and the UK’s most-watched factual programming and high-quality documentaries”
Claire Killwick, head of communications, Ford UK & Ireland, added: “We are pleased to extend our partnership with Channel 4 Documentaries for another two years. This collaboration is a natural fit for Ford, as we share a commitment to innovation and supporting narratives that resonate with a diverse and engaged audience across the UK.”
Publicly owned yet commercially funded, Channel 4 generates significant and sustainable cultural, economic and social impact across the UK – at no cost to the taxpayer.
The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For more than 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.
From its bases in London, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 is fully committed to harnessing the power of its regional structure to increase its impact across the UK. Its training and development initiative, 4Skills, is opening up opportunities in broadcasting, with a particular focus on disadvantaged young people and addressing skills gaps across the nations and regions. 4Skills invests £10m in training, development and learning opportunities annually.
