Four new shows for Channel [V]

Channel [V] unveiled a host of new offerings for its 9.30 pm slots Mondays to Thursdays.

Arguably the most anticipated is the Australian premiere of US docu-reality series Sing It On (pictured).  It screens on Thursdays from July 30.  Inspired by the Pitch Perfect blockbuster movie, it premiered in America in May, and follows a capella singing groups from three American universities as they juggle studies, rehearsals, auditions and relationships to have a crack at the International Championship.

Executive producer John Legend himself got his start at college in an a capella group. It is co-produced by the team behind American Idol.

People Just Do Nothing, the British hip hop pirate radio comedy hit, launches on Wednesdays from August 12. It is centred around the exploits of a crew of social drop-outs led by MC Grindah and DJ Beats. They broadcast garage and drum’n’bass via the illegal Kurupt FM in West London from their flat.

It started in 2010 as a YouTube series before the BBC broadcast it last July for its iPlayer (the pilot was the most shared iPlayer show for the month) and then on terrestrial television the following month.

Season 2 of King of the Nerds screens on Tuesdays from August 4. Season 1 aired last year on Network Ten and Eleven. The second series, which premieres overseas this month, follows eccentric nerds sharing a house called Nerdvana showing off their general knowledge for a $100,000 prize and the chance to be crowned "the greatest nerd of them all" worthy to sit atop the "Throne of Games."

For the first time on Channel [V] is British series Skins from the first episode, broadcast on Mondays from July 20. Skins started in 2007 and, with a writing team with an average age of 21, took on issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness, adolescent sexuality, substance abuse, death and bullying through the lives of a bunch of Bristol sixth formers. 

The issues, with a soundtrack featuring Grizzly Bear, Chemical Brothers, Gossip and Bloc Party, made the series a cult hit in Australia when first aired on Fox8 and SBS2 complete with “Skins viewing parties”. It ran until 2013, the final series coming after a planned film spin-off fell through. A North American version was short-lived after advertisers baulked at the issues being addressed.

Rebecca Batties, Foxtel General Manager for Music and Head of Digital said, “We are excited about bringing fresh and original content to our audience. Our new ‘Music Lifestyle’ programming complements our strong music offering and allows us to take our audience into a world of limitless options with programming about the big passions that make youth tick.

“We hope the new line-up will make them laugh out loud and feel good, while inspiring them to live a life to remember.”