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'The Queen's Sister' is a one-off, feature-length drama portraying the life of the first wild child of the British monarchy, Princess Margaret.

The drama unfolds as Margaret romps her way through the 50s, turns Bohemian in the 60s, including a scene where she's seen smoking a large, cone-shaped cigarette, to the eventual isolation of the princess shunned by her peers.

Two-part film drama 'Elizabeth I' sees Dame Helen Mirren take on the role of the Virgin Queen while Jeremy Irons plays the Earl of Leicester in a drama that tackles the lovelife of the woman who ruled the country, but was not allowed to marry the man she loved.

Booze gets a look-in with 'Legless', a feature-length drama about Britain's drink culture as seen through the eyes of a variety of characters on an average Friday night out, including first-time drinkers, lawyers on the chardonnay and a pro-reform councillor.

Friday nights on Channel 4 will play host to a series of homegrown comedy shows. New sketch show 'Spoons' plays on the often-awkward thirtysomething relationship. From a woman who constantly reminds her partner "She wants a fucking baby" at the most inopportune moments, to a man who offers to cook his wife dinner on the day she gives birth as a one-off treat.

'Rock School' sees former Kiss bass player Gene Simmons teach a group of 13-year-old private-school children to be head-banging rock stars in a play on Richard Linklater's hit movie 'School of Rock' starring Jack Black.

'Dirty Tricks' from the makers of 'Derren Brown' is a magic show with a difference. It is hosted each week by a different animal with a celebrity voiceover -- episode one has Stephen Fry as an owl -- and will feature extreme escapes and magicians.

The third series of critically acclaimed comedy series 'Peep Show' will be back for late-night Fridays.

Headlining the historical line-up is 'The Somme', taking a poignant look at one of the worst disasters in British military history where 19,000 men lost their lives and 35,000 were wounded in a single day. 

The film is told through letters, diaries and official reports written at the time. Channel 4 will be archiving the names of those that lost their lives and a brief history online, allowing internet users to find out about relatives that may have died in the bloody WWI battle.

Channel 4 chef Jamie Oliver heads to Italy for a more relaxing series than last season's 'Jamie's School Dinners', exploring his passion for Italian food in 'Jamie's Great Escape'.

The inimitable Gordon Ramsey returns in autumn for a new culinary series called 'The F Word'. The Michelin-starred chef will host the show with restaurant critic Giles Coren from a bustling restaurant, giving viewers tips on the best recipes, facts behind diets, food campaigns and advice on where to get the best and worst food.

'Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares' will be back next year as will '8 Out of 10 cats', the panel gameshow hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr, that recently finished its first run.

In addition, 'Countdown' is set to return with a new permanent host in October following long-time presenter Richard Whiteley's untimely death earlier this year. No news as yet on who that new host might be.

Also in the pipeline for next year, is a new Peter Kay-fronted sitcom and a 'Big Brother' sketch show on E4.

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