Channel 4 today announced the launch of its 4oD Catch-up service on the iPad.

The new app, called 4oD Catch Up, will enable iPad users to access Channel 4's 30-day catch-up service for the first time. Sponsored by Heineken, the service will carry advertising and will initially be available free-of-charge.

4oD Catch Up will make popular Channel 4 content from the last month such as Friday Night Dinner, Jamie's Dream School and The Hotel available to view on all wifi accessed iPads. US and archived content will not be available at launch but it is planned to introduce them at a later date.

Content will be available free of charge within the app, but will carry advertising. Sponsored by Heineken, each programme viewed via the iPad will initially be preceded by a 60 second Heineken advert followed by a 30 second spot from a different advertiser.

Sarah Milton, Head of VOD at Channel 4, said: "Channel 4 has consistently led the way in on-demand viewing, and the launch of 4oD Catch Up on the iPad reflects our long-term strategy of building distribution on relevant platforms and devices to ensure 4oD is available where our audiences want to watch it."

Channel 4 has consistently been a pioneer in VOD. It was the first broadcaster to launch a comprehensive video-on-demand service in 2006 and the first UK broadcaster to make all its archived content available online, alongside catch up, free of charge. 4oD is the UK's leading commercial VOD platform, available online at C4.com and via YouTube and Seesaw, on TV platforms via Virgin Media, BT Vision and TalkTalk, as a catch up service on PS3, and as a download-to-own proposition on iTunes.

The 4oD Catch Up app will only be available in the UK and at launch will be free of charge. The app will initially be for iPads only, but there are plans to make the service available on more iOS devices in due course.

The app was created by Nice Agency for Channel 4.