Best of British TV
Unifi broadband customers can now watch brand new as well as classic BBC shows anytime via the BBC Player.
STARTING today, unifi and Streamyx customers can watch some of their favourite BBC shows by downloading the BBC Player app on their smart devices or the computer.
The first 30 days after signing up is free; RM10 a month will be added to the customers’ monthly bill after that.
These shows were previously offered exclusively to unifi TV subscribers under its Ultimate Pack.
The app is downloadable from the Apple and Google Play app stores, or go to www. bbcplayer.com
At the press conference to launch the app, Emily Wee, unifi TV’s vice president of Business & Media Operations, stated: “We’re happy to be collaborating with BBC to meet the diverse needs from our customers by providing a compelling suite of BBC channels as well as access to top rate British content via BBC Player.”
According to Wee, BBC Player is meant to meet the growing demand from viewers who want to watch programmes online, at their own convenience.
“Malaysians love watching British drama because it’s more nuanced. Patrick Melrose (starring Benedict Cumberbatch) was one of the most watched dramas (this year).
“Malaysians also love to get inspiration from BBC lifestyle programmes.
“Even if they’re not interested in cooking, they still love watching cooking shows like MasterChef UK that featured Malaysian-born Zaleha Kadir Olpin.”
Chef Zaleha is, of course, the contestant who got eliminated for the “not-crispy” chicken rendang. In a video message played during the launch, Zaleha said: “MasterChef has changed my life. It has given me the opportunity to be an ambassador for Malaysian food.”
Ryan Shiotani, vice president, content, Asia of BBC Studios added: “It is evident that BBC content resonates with Malaysians and their families who are looking for high quality, intelligent programmes.”
Other than Patrick Melrose and MasterChef UK, viewers can also enjoy shows like Donal’s Asian Baking Adventure, documentary Blue Planet II and everyone’s favourite talk show, The Graham Norton Show to name a few. Some of the classic BBC shows viewers may want to check out on BBC Player include comedies The Office, Absolutely Fabulous, Fawlty Towers as well as Goodness Gracious Me.
For more localised BBC production, catch Got Science? on BBC Earth (unifi TV Ch 501, and via the BBC Player), an eight-episode series hosted by Harith Iskander.
The comedian explores and explains science with his brand of humour, adding on reason, logic and rationale of course.
In the first episode, he delves into Malaysians’ favourite topic – food, and one of the questions he asks is “Why does durian smell the way it does?”.
Other topics include health, fitness, sport, anatomy and technology.
Harith shared that science was his worst subject in school. But he said yes to hosting a science programme because: “It’s BBC. The British sense of humour is my favourite.
“My mum was English, and I have so many English relatives ... My oldest (child) wants to be a scientist ... and a superhero. I think he’s going to be excited to see this show. Got Science? will offer little nuggets of scientific facts, all put in a fun way.”
BBC Earth has more new shows in September that are worth checking out – Wildlife presenter Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals in Deadly Dinosaur; writer-adventurer Will Millard hangs out with the Korowai tribe at West Papua in My Year With The Tribe; go to different parts of the world to see how rituals are passed on for generations in different cultures in Rituals; and explore the Wonders Of The Moon and learn about total eclipses, blood moons, super moons, etc.
If drama is your cup of tea, then BBC Player carries Save Me, which stars The Walking Dead’s Lennie James as a dad in search of his missing daughter, and the third season of Unforgotten, with actors Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar reprising their roles as DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunil Khan.