BBC £173m Gold rush...
It lands another seven channels in UKTV takeover
THE BBC is to take over seven of UKTV’s channels in a £173million deal.
The broadcaster, which already owned 50% of the TV company will acquire the likes of Dave, Yesterday and Gold, home of classics like Only Fools and Horses.
BBC programmes account for around half those shown on the seven outlets.
Meanwhile US giant Discovery, which controlled the other 50% of UKTV, will get its three other channels, Good Food, Home and Really as part of the deal.
BBC Studios, the Beeb’s commercial arm, has also announced a second 10-year deal with Discovery worth around £300m.
The move will allow the pay-TV channel to air its flagship natural history shows such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet outside the UK and Ireland.
BBC director general Lord Hall said the package was its “largest ever content sales deal. He said the £300m would enable the corporation to pump more money into natural history programme making.
“That’s also why BBC Studios taking control of the UKTV channels that best fit our programmes is good news,” he said. Dani Warner, TV expert at uSwitch.com, said: The BBC strengthening its ties with UKTV’s channels while also offering its factual programming library to Discovery looks like a win-win for consumers.” She also said it was the next step in the
BBC being able to compete better with TV industry giants Netflix and Amazon. The Beeb is also joining forces with ITV to launch a new service called Brit Box featuring British box-set favourites from Broadchurch to McMafia, as well as new shows.