BBC Worldwide and ITV have partnered up to bring a massive new subscription video service to the United States
The service, named BritBox, will bring a huge catalogue of British content to the United States in one ad-free subscription service.
The platform, which is set to rival providers like Netflix and Amazon in carrying British content across the Atlantic, will premiere shows including Anthony Horowitz-created BBC drama New Blood, and ITV’s historical epic Tutankhamun.
The SVOD service is due to launch in the first quarter of 2017, and sees BBC Worldwide and ITV, both of whom have equal controlling majority interests in the business, work with American network AMC.
In addition to the never-before-seen content, drama favourites Silent Witness and Cold Feet will also be getting series premieres on the platform.
Classic shows from both BBC and ITV like Keeping Up Appearances, Fawlty Towers, Pride and Prejudice, Upstairs Downstairs, Brideshead Revisited and Inspector Morse will also find a home on the subscription service.
BritBox will be available online, on mobile (Android and iOS), Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast from its launch date.
BBC Worldwide’s Ann Sarnoff said that the service will “offer a streaming experience like no other, with thousands of hours of programmes available across a wide variety of genres.”
A ‘Now’ category on the platform will allow American subscribers to watch a large selection of soaps and series that will be made available as soon as 24 hours after their UK broadcast. This includes soaps like Holby City, EastEnders, and Emmerdale.
ITV’s Managing Director of Online, Pay TV and Interactive Simon Pitts spoke of his delight “to be bringing the creative might of the BBC and ITV together for the first time in this exciting new streaming service for US fans.”
The US launch is just the first step in the plan, as the broadcasters have revealed that there are ambitions to roll out the service to other international markets.
