5Spike

5Spike
Launched 15 April 2015 (2015-04-15)
Network 5
Owned by Viacom International Media Networks
Picture format 576i (16:9 SDTV)
Audience share 0.56%
0.02% (+1)
(August 2018 (2018-08), BARB)
Slogan Live it like Spike
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Formerly called Spike (2015–17)
Sister channel(s)
Timeshift service 5Spike +1
Website channel5.com/5spike
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview Channel 31
Satellite
Freesat Channel 141
Sky (UK only) Channel 150
Channel 250 (+1)
Astra 2G 10964 H 22000 5/6
10964 H 22000 5/6 (+1)
Cable
Virgin Media Channel 154
Streaming media
TVPlayer Watch live (UK only)

5Spike is a British digital television channel owned by Viacom International Media Networks Europe. Launching on 15 April 2015 on Freeview, it is a multiplex channel of Channel 5 and localized version of the American channel Spike. It primarily airs entertainment programming geared towards a male audience, including action and drama series, police documentaries, programming from its U.S. counterpart, and mixed martial arts.

History

Following Viacom's acquisition of Channel 5, it was reported that a local version of the male skewing U.S. channel Spike would be launching in the United Kingdom. These reports were confirmed in late 2014, with the channel proposed to replace Viva on Freeview.[1] The channel is operated under the auspices of Channel 5's programming director Ben Frow; of Spike's lineup, he described the service as a "driven, high-energy channel offering a point of view and programme mix I think is different from anything else on British TV right now."[1]

Spike launched on 15 April 2015 on Freeview channel 31, displacing 5 USA; although it was originally announced that Spike would replace Viva entirely on Freeview, Viva was instead moved to a different channel and reduced to two hours per-day to conserve bandwidth for Spike, with 5 USA taking on its previous channel allotment.[2][3][4][5][6] Among its first programmes, the premiere of Police Interceptors Unleashed was seen by 137,000 viewers.[7]

On 31 October 2017, Spike was rebranded as 5Spike to closer associate itself with its sister channels.

A British version of Spike's successor in the U.S., Paramount Network, launched 4 July 2018.[8]

Programming

The channel's lineup draws primarily from the original programmes produced by its U.S counterpart, including Bar Rescue, Catch a Contractor, and Lip Sync Battle among others. The channel also airs imported U.S dramas, from modern dramas such as Breaking Bad (notably marking the first time the entire series would be broadcast by British television; only the first two seasons were shown by Fox and 5 USA, with the remainder available via Netflix), Sons of Anarchy, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and The Walking Dead, to classic shows such as The X-Files, The A-Team and Knight Rider. Spike also carries original British productions, such as Police Interceptors Unleashed (a spin-off of the Channel 5 series hosted by footballer Vinnie Jones), [7] and repeats of some of Channel 5's factual programmes.[9][10]

As in the U.S,[11] mixed-martial arts also comprises a portion of Spike's lineup, with British TV rights to Bellator MMA and, under a new long-term deal, exclusive rights to BAMMA events beginning with BAMMA 20 on 25 April 2015.[12]

Original programming

Imported

Most watched programmes

The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Spike, based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB up to 22 July 2018.[13] The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on 5Spike +1.

Rank Show Episode Number of Viewers Date
1The Expendables 2N/A359,00027 March 2016
2The Guns of Navarone343,00020 May 2018
3Centurion328,00012 February 2017
4The Expendables 3335,00027 December 2017
5327,00026 March 2017
6Transporter: The Series2.07 - Sex, Lies and Video Tapes303,00019 February 2016
7Trucking Hell1.02 - Episode Two294,00024 May 2018
8Enter the DragonN/A281,00016 July 2017
Hercules26 July 2017
10The Expendables 2274,00019 March 2017

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Viacom to launch Spike TV in UK". Broadcast. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Freeview Channel Updates: April 2015". a516digital. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Spike launches 15 April and some channels are moving". Freeview. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Spike TV to launch with Breaking Bad". Broadcast. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Munn, Patrick (26 March 2015). "VIMN To Launch Spike UK on April 15th; Picks Up UK Rights to Olympus, Justified, Sons & Anarchy and More". TVWise. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Dire UTV Ireland could learn a thing or two from Spike". Herald.ie. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Breaking Bad helps Spike to solid launch night". Broadcast Now. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  8. ↑ White, Peter (2018-06-08). "Viacom To Launch Paramount Network In The UK In July With 'Suits' & 'The Mick'". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  9. ↑ "Spike to Launch in U.K. with 'Breaking Bad,' 'Walking Dead,' 'Sons of Anarchy'". Variety. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Spike TV: the best and worst of the new channel's brogramming". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "Mr. Friday Night Lights Out? Joe Schilling eyes PBC Boxing in addition to Bellator and GLORY". MMAMania (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "BAMMA makes deal with Spike TV in the UK". Bloody Elbow (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  13. ↑ BARB, via
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