Dear Channel 4,

I started my journey with you when the world was still in shades of grey, not just outside, but on our television screens as well. I have fond memories of those early days when our kitchen TV was black and white, and you were the new channel (3 channels became 4!). My first vivid recollection is of watching Countdown while enjoying a chip butty at my best friend's house in the 80s.

From that moment on, you've been a constant source of inspiration, enlightenment, and challenge. You've introduced me to things I never expected to encounter, breaking taboos with grace and courage. You've consistently led the way in demonstrating what an inclusive society can look like at its very best.

In the pre-internet era, you were my window to the world. Tuning in to 'The Word' on a Friday with the mouthy Mancunian Terry Christian and the fabulously camp 'EuroTrash' featuring Jean-Paul Gaultier and Antoine de Caunes was a highlight of my week. Those shows offered me a glimpse into a different world, one I yearned to be a part of - a world that was big and incredibly exciting.

I'll never forget the negative media coverage, anger, and shock when you portrayed love as something that transcends boundaries, making TV history in 1994 with the unforgettable moment when Beth and Margaret came together and kissed. The first woman to woman on-screen kiss here in the UK. You were my source of sex education during those formative years. When I was a naive teenager struggling to understand my identity and facing judgement for being 'different,' shows like ‘Queer as Folk’ gave me insight, confidence, and the courage to embrace who I truly am.

Channel 4, your influence is profound, inspiring thousands, if not millions of us. You have a remarkable ability to take the unconventional and make it mainstream and iconic, from then to now. I look to Superhumans and how that just was a huge ‘FUCK YOU’ to an abelist society.

You've transformed the monochrome of life into a vibrant spectrum of colours, radiating positivity and change. You've not only influenced culture but have also shattered the most insular of attitudes, making us all more open to the new and different.

We now see the world through different lenses, not just on TV screens but in the world around us. There's still much progress to be made, but you never cease your restless pursuit of breaking down barriers.

Please continue challenging, inspiring, and shaping the narrative towards a world that truly embraces inclusivity.

The world needs your voice and platform.

Thank you for everything you do.

Marc