In a tie up with Co-op Funeralcare, Channel 4 is giving celebrities the chance to organise each other’s funeral.
Celebrity Send Off is a digital mini series for YouTube and kicks off with Happy Mondays’ duo, Shaun Ryder and Bez.
“Bit of a weird one this, I didn’t want to think about my best mate dying, but cos I know him so well I actually enjoyed getting creative and thinking of some ideas for his fake funeral that I knew he’d be chuffed with…I got really into it and imagined him looking down (…or up!) and laughing at what I’d organised for him,” said Bez.
“Some of the stuff I arranged was spot on, and it all went a bit leftfield, like with flowers designed in the shape of a grey UFO. Grey flowers?! Standing next to him when we watched his funeral together on the big screen got me a bit emotional to be honest! Does make you realise though, it’s a good idea to talk to the folk you love whilst you’ve still got them beside you so you can give them the send-off they deserve….and want!”
The branded films are part of a sponsorship deal with Co-op Funeralcare, which had experts on hands to provide support and advice.
Other celebrities taking part are Gogglebox’s Marcus Luther and his wife Mica Ven; and Kriss Akabusi and his daughter Shakira Akabusi.
“Experiencing my own funeral arranged by Bez was a surreal moment to say the least. I always thought I’d have a burial, but Bez thought I’d go for a cremation,” added Ryder.
“However, I loved his ideas. What I had in my own head and seeing what Bez created for me made me appreciate the importance of having open conversations about funeral wishes as it’s not something we really do. Overall, I think Bez did a good job at organising my funeral cos he’s such a good friend and knows me very well.”
Celebrity Send Off is the latest in the broadcaster’s branded entertainment projects this year, which include Philips Shave Club, Skipton Building Society’s Make Your Move and Dairylea’s Tiny Day Trippers.
The series was produced by Interstellar who worked with media agency is TSL (The Story Lab) to bring to concept to erm, life. The digital content was commissioned by Digital Development Executive for Youth and Digital at Channel 4, Hanzla MacDonald, who explained:
“Channel 4 are pioneers in tackling difficult issues and we are proud that Celebrity Send Off is a way of normalising conversations around death and smashing taboos through entertainment. Teaming up with Co-op Funeralcare to create this series allows us to push these barriers further by creating a talking point that lets people open up to their loved ones about their wishes for when they’re no longer here.”
Mandip Mann, Head of Client Marketing, Digital & Experience at Co-op Funeralcare, added:
“As the UK’s leading funeral provider, we understand how difficult it can be for people to discuss topics related to death and bereavement, particularly with family and friends. And last year, we began our campaign encouraging the nation to talk about things such as your funeral wishes to help give loved one’s peace of mind later.
“That’s why we’re so pleased to be partnering with Channel 4 in creating a content series that builds on the success of that campaign and shows the difficulties people can face when organising a loved one’s funeral without first knowing what they wanted.
“Through this series, we aim to normalise what can often be seen as a taboo topic, using a mix of entertainment to highlight just how much of a difference these conversations can make, as well as inspiring the nation to talk to loved ones about it today.”
