05 September 2013

S4C has launched its autumn schedule saying that the quality of ideas and productions will mean memorable months ahead for the Channel's viewers.

Among the period's highlights are new and unique series of all kind which will appeal to the Channel's regular viewers as well as new audiences.

Beginning at the end of this week on S4C is Y Plas – a living history series that will show normal people living like the residents of a mansion house in the year 1910. Some will live like Lords, while others will wait on them day and night – life at Y Plas will certainly be an eye opener for those taking part, and the audience at home.

The season's original drama will be a series which has caused quite a stir internationally already - Y Gwyll/Hinterland. This is a co-production between S4C, Fiction Factory and distributors ALL3MEDIA International – a detective series that is set in the Aberystwyth area, and will start on S4C at the end of October. This will be the first opportunity on any channel, in any country, to see Y Gwyll/Hinterland before it appears on other networks across Europe.

Important individual documentaries will also hit our screens – some of which will commemorate significant historical events. Tanchwa Senghennydd (The Senghennydd Explosion) remembers the centenary of an awful disaster that killed hundreds. And to go along with this production there will be a special programme for children and online educational films. Also, Cofio Llangyndeyrn (Remembering Llangyndeyrn) will mark a community's success half a century ago in stopping a scheme to drown a valley. And as the O’r Galon series returns, the first programme will be a powerful hour-long feature of a father and son, John and Geraint Hardy, both familiar faces on S4C, discussing the effects of alcoholism on their family.

If natural history is your interest, Iolo Williams' new series, Natur Gudd Cymru (Wales' Hidden Nature), is one not to be missed. Iolo will travel Wales seeking out some of the rare and unexpected species living in our country today. This is a series which will show unique elements of our wildlife and natural habitat.

And for those of us who prefer to spend our leisure time in the garden, Tyfu Pobl (Growing People) is a series to look forward to. But this is no normal gardening series. Tyfu Pobl will follow a group of people in one community in Gwynedd as they use their gardens and the natural resources at their disposal to make some fundamental changes to their lives. Tyfu Pobl is a brand new idea which should appeal to a modern and progressive audience.

In sport, as the RaboDirect Pro12 season starts on S4C this weekend, we can also look forward to seeing the Autumn Internationals on the Channel. And with Sgorio featuring the best of the action from the Welsh Premiership, and Ralio+ returning also, there will be plenty to keep sports fans happy this autumn on S4C. And for younger viewers, there will be a week of programmes especially for children and young people. The culmination of the week will be the screening of a special documentary called DymaFi.TV which allows young people to show their own everyday lives in their own words and in their own way.

And there will also be a new kind of drama on the Channel as classical singer Wynne Evans presents a new series, Am Ddrama. We’ll follow Wynne – the renowned tenor and keen Welsh learner - as he travels through Wales to meet some unique and charismatic characters who belong to "am dram" and operatic societies. He’ll visit one society in each programme and offer a helping hand as they prepare for their next performance. And with the light-hearted quiz, Munud i Fynd having just started, and Sioe Tudur Owen still to come this autumn, there will be plenty of entertainment for all over the coming months on S4C.

S4C's Director of Content, Dafydd Rhys says:

"Our schedule for autumn 2013 on S4C is full of unique and memorable programmes which will raise the bar in terms of the quality of TV production in Wales – and we're really proud of what we have to offer.

"We're listening to the people of Wales and in drama, entertainment, factual programmes and events, the programmes we've planned for the coming months are very high quality.

"I'm confident that our programmes will appeal to people who already watch S4C regularly and will introduce the Channel to new audiences too."

Ends