Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has revealed the real reason behind the show's move from Channel 4 to Netflix.

The sci-fi hit's first two seasons aired on C4 and in the new companion book, Inside Black Mirror, Brooker details how the relationship with the UK broadcaster gradually broke down.

"Channel 4 said they wanted to make more Black Mirror," he said. "We agreed to do four more episodes, but this time they wanted to see detailed synopses of each film in advance, which I thought was outrageous at the time."

Channel 4

When they received feedback for their new ideas for season three, Brooker and fellow showrunner Annabel Jones were told that they 'weren't very Black Mirror', and they were no longer going to have the budget for four episodes.

Jones said: "Given the show had won lots of awards and had been really positively received on the whole, it was strange. I think there wasn't any clarity from the channel. We also felt unchampioned."

Channel 4 eventually regained its thirst for Black Mirror, and the Jon Hamm-starring Christmas special 'White Christmas' soon followed. But Brooker was left frustrated when he was told the show would have to be a co-production.

Channel 4

"They said they were working with Bryan Cranston on this anthology show called Electric Dreams, adapting Philip K Dick stories. Maybe, they suggested, I could write one of those," he recalled.

"I thought, 'I'm feeling angry. Is this insulting?'"

After the first two seasons of Black Mirror were released on Netflix and the series became massively popular with American audiences, a deal was then put in place for the streaming service and Channel 4 to be equal creative partners.

But after Channel 4 cut the show down from 10 to 6 episodes a season, and requested a detailed synopsis of each instalment beforehand, Brooker and Jones felt that it was time to part ways with their old commissioner.

"We realised this was not going to happen with Channel 4," said Jones. "We had to push ahead and do this deal with Netflix."

Brooker has previously explained why Netflix is the perfect platform for Black Mirror, saying: "On Netflix, we can put the whole thing up and it's like a short story collection, or an album, or tickets to a film festival."

Black Mirror seasons 1-4 are available to watch on Netflix. The upcoming season 5 is yet to get a confirmed release date.

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