Gogglebox and Countdown to change theme tunes for the first time in years

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Channel 4 is making a huge change to some of its most popular programming for one day only.

On Friday (26 April), shows including Gogglebox and Countdown will see their theme tunes changed for the first time in years. The title music of the programmes will be rearranged and performed on piano in celebration of the second series of The Piano, which will air on Sunday (28 April).

Presented by Claudia Winkleman, the series follows passionate pianists who perform at public pianos in train stations across the UK. The first series opened to a positive reception last year as viewers praised it for its “moving stories”.

Gogglebox’s distinctive theme tune has remained unchanged for over 11 years, since the show first aired in 2013.

Now, its original title track – “Perfect World” by Kodaline – has been reimagined by the band’s frontman Steve Carrigan as a piano medley, which will air as part of the episode’s opening on Friday (26 April).

Meanwhile, Countdown’s famous theme song will be switched to a piano remix by Steve Holness and Pascal Wyse and will play in episodes from Monday 29 April to Friday 3 May.

Other changes include Channel 4 News theme “Best Endeavours”, originally composed by Alan Hawkshaw, which will be adapted for the news bulletin at 6:30pm on Sunday (28 April). The title music will instead feature a version of the song that has been rearranged and recorded on piano by Phase Music and Universal Production Music.

Come Dine With Me: The Professionals will feature new piano music by Patrick Duffin on episodes airing from Monday 6 May to Friday 10 May.

Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer, Ian Katz, said: “The Piano is that rarest of things, a TV show that makes people feel better about the world after watching it than they did before.

“We are spreading a little of that musical magic by replacing the theme tunes of some of our best loved shows with specially recorded piano versions. Big thanks go out to the talented composers and performers who have made this happen and our production partners who are joining us in celebrating the return of The Piano.”

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