E4 is to broadcast a sneak peek of Glee next month according to Digital Spy. The tactic mirrors that used by Fox to launch the series in the US earlier this year. The network premiered the pilot episode in May off the back of the American Idol finale, ahead of the launch proper in September. The show – from Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy – follows a group of kids participating in their high school glee club.
Glee begins when teacher Will (Matthew Morrison, Broadway’s Hairspray) offers to take on the Herculean task of transforming the school’s lack lustre ‘Glee Club’ into a world-class vocal ensemble, with the help of fellow teacher Emma (Jayma Mays, Heroes). And with any luck, he may even get his group of misfit performers into the biggest school singing competition of them all: Nationals. But it’s going to be a long road back to the top since the ‘brightest stars’ of the pitch-imperfect club include; Kurt (Chris Colfer), a nerdy soprano with a flair for the dramatic; Mercedes (Amber Riley), a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back up; Arty (Kevin McHale, True Blood), a geeky guitarist who attracts more bullies than girls; and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz, Spring Awakening), who just needs to suppress her stutter before she takes centre stage.
Will’s only hope lies with the two true talents: Rachel (Lea Michele, Spring Awakening), a perfectionist wannabe who is convinced this is her ticket to stardom; and Finn (Cory Monteith, Kyle XY), the popular high school quarterback who’s more interested in protecting his cool reputation than showing off his Motown voice. In an interview with Digital Spy a spokeperson for E4 said:
Glee has become a TV phenomenon in the US. A unique and ambitious show, it is generating a huge amount of buzz and already British viewers are clamouring to find out what all the fuss is about. So as an early Christmas present to all the British ‘Gleeks’ and as a sneak preview for all the uninitiated, E4 will broadcast the first episode in December ahead of the series launch in January.
The first episode of Glee will air mid-December on E4.
