Channel 4 criticises the BBC for being too bland

The Channel 4 director of television and content, Kevin Lygo, today said the BBC was "blander than it should be". He was speaking at a television conference in Edinburgh.

"I think it is a bit blander than it should be. We all know what I mean," Mr Lygo said.

"The One Show - every night - the increasing number of soapy dramas. Casualty, Holby City, Holby Blue, Waterloo Road and the real possibility of a fifth episode of EastEnders and the factual output dominated by soft focuses, mountains, coasts, rivers, birds and heritage," Lygo said.

"There nothing wrong with any of these shows but together they all hum the same note and I don't see how that's good for public service television."

Lygo is planning to stop the rot at Channel 4 and attempt to overhaul the output there in the future. In particular Celebrity Big Brother will be dropped in 2008. Programmes like Brat Camp and You Are What You Eat will also be dropped to make way for new programming.