After 32 years at the BBC, Star Trek boldly jumps ship goes to C4

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The new series of Star Trek is boldly going where none of its predecessors has gone before. Enterprise, a prequel to the original series, will be shown on Channel 4 – the first time in 32 years that Star Trek has appeared on a terrestrial broadcaster other than the BBC.

The millions of Trekkies exasperated by the BBC's refusal to give Star Trek a regular home will be delighted that Enterprise will have a peak-time slot on Channel 4.

Nick Jones, the editor of Star Trek Monthly, said: "BBC2 has come under flak for shunting it around. Star Trek deserves a prime-time slot because it's as good as popular shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

The new series is set in 2151, 100 years before Captain James T Kirk comes on the scene, and the technology is so unreliable that Kirk's predecessor, Captain Archer, is afraid to use the transporter. Still, he has the solace of a rather more fetching deputy than Mr Spock in the form of a Vulcan beauty called T'Pol.

Star Trek now joins cricket and Premiership highlights as attractions lost by the BBC. But a spokesman said weekly episodes of the first four series – Star Trek, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager – would make the corporation required viewing for Trekkies

Channel 4, which acquired the terrestrial rights in a deal with Sky One, will screen the new series late next year.