Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

U.K. TV giants unveil ‘BritBox’ streaming service to take on Netflix

By

bbc headquarters
mikecphoto/Shutterstock
The U.K’s two leading broadcasters are teaming up to take on Netflix.

BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC – and ITV have announced plans for a subscription-based, video-on-demand streaming service for the American market.

Recommended Videos

Called BritBox, the ad-free offering will launch early in 2017 and include a “rich catalog of classic, new, and exclusive” British-made content.

The service marks the first time for the BBC and ITV to partner in this way, and confirms rumors earlier in the year that the pair were cooperating on such a project.

“This unique streaming service will celebrate the very best of British TV, and offer the most comprehensive video-on-demand collection of British content in the market today,” BritBox said in a release. “For decades, BBC and ITV have produced iconic British television series, and for the first time these shows will be combined in a single, curated service allowing fans to find the classic shows they love and discover new hit series.”

Fawlty Towers and EastEnders

Classic shows already lined up for BritBox include the hit 1970s comedy Fawlty Towers written by and starring Monty Python’s John Cleese, and popular period dramas such as Brideshead Revisited, Pride and Prejudice, and Upstairs Downstairs. Soap fans will be able to follow their favorite characters  in London-based EastEnders, or can head north to Yorkshire for the latest happenings in Emmerdale, with editions from both shows hitting BritBox within 24 hours of broadcast in the U.K.

Similar to Netflix and other competing services, subscribers to BritBox will be able to view content via iOS and Android mobile devices, Roku, AppleTV, and Chromecast, with more platforms to follow.

It’s not yet clear what impact, if any, BritBox’s arrival will have on BBC America, or indeed how it might effect the distribution of British shows among other broadcasters in the U.S., with PBS, for example, having proved a popular home for a number of high-profile shows, ITV’s Downton Abbey and the BBC’s Sherlock among them.

Both the BBC and ITV have offered on-demand streaming services for many years, but both are only available to viewers based in the U.K. Features from both services are likely to be incorporated into BritBox.

Living outside the U.S. but like the sound of BritBox? The good news is that there are plans to roll out the service to more international markets over time, so sit tight.

Pricing for BritBox will be available at launch.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Read more
The best Netflix original series right now
Eric and Benedict Cumberbatch in Eric.

The era of Peak TV was also Peak Netflix, because the streamer seemingly had an endless supply of new original series. So far in 2024, that hasn't been the case. Whether we'll ever get the same level of content again seems unlikely for now. But even in a reduced capacity, Netflix still has a few new additions to its lineup of originals.

For the month of June, we're adding the '80s-set thriller, Eric, which stars Benedict Cumbebatch. Our other pick for the month is Supacell, which is Netflix's new British series that remixes some old superhero archetypes. That's not a very big selection for fans who always want something new, but this roundup of the best Netflix original series really does have all of the top options in one place for you. All you have to do is scroll down and make time to binge watch some shows.

Read more