BritBox

Though not officially described as its successor, BritBox has been likened to an earlier attempt by UK public service broadcasters (BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4) to create an online video-on-demand download service, codenamed "Project Kangaroo" in November 2007. This followed the launches of the broadcasters' own video-on-demand services.

On Wednesday, 4 February 2009, Project Kangaroo was blocked by the then Competition Commission.[14]

The commission stated that the case surrounding Kangaroo was about the control of valuable UK-originated TV content. "BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 together control the vast majority of this material, which puts them in a very strong position as wholesalers of TV content to restrict competition from other current and future providers of video-on-demand services to UK viewers," said Peter Freeman, the chairman of the Competition Commission, in its final report on Project Kangaroo. "We thought viewers would benefit from better video-on-demand [VoD] services if the parties – possibly in conjunction with other new and/or already established providers of VoD – competed with each other."

A Channel 4 spokesperson said at the time, "This is a disproportionate remedy and a missed opportunity in the further development of British broadcasting."

After the planned Project Kangaroo was blocked, the system's assets were sold to transmitter firm Arqiva and this led to the development of the service SeeSaw, which operated from February 2010 to October 2011, with content from the BBC, Channel 4, and Channel 5, some of which (such as Doctor Who) now appears on BritBox.

Since the rise of Netflix and subsequent other Subscription Video on Demand services (SVODs), European PSBs and media companies in particular, have started to find ways to compete with the increasing dominance of American SVODs, and many old rivalries have also been put aside in Europe and to collaborate by creating joint SVODs, such the like of BritBox but also France's Salto (backed by networks TF1, France Télévisions and M6), and German-based Joyn (a joint venture between ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery).[15] Such actions are motivated by reports showing younger generations shunning terrestrial TV, and PSBs have been told to adapt to avoid becoming insignificant and left out.

Following increased competition from the streaming giants on the public service broadcasters, the BBC (through BBC Worldwide) and ITV announced plans to create a Netflix-style TV service. Talks between the BBC and ITV to launch this streaming service took place in March 2016, with NBCUniversal also initially in the talks.[16] The BBC and ITV announced several shows they would be running on Britbox including New Blood, Tutankhamun, The Moonstone, In The Dark, Cold Feet and crime series Silent Witness on US launch.[17]

On 14 February 2018, BritBox launched in Canada. Soumya Sriraman, President, BritBox North America, said, “We know that Canadians have a deep affinity for British culture and the extraordinary television programs produced in the UK, so launching BritBox in Canada has always been at the top of our list. The fact that we can also, for the first time ever, premiere some of the most popular British programs and big special events such as Trooping the Colour as soon as 24 hours after their UK premiere is – hopefully – the cherry on the sundae.”[18]

In February 2019, it was announced that BritBox would be launched in the UK later in the year as a rival to Netflix.[19] Journalist Mark Lawson likened the proposed project to BBC Worldwide's previous failed platform, Project Kangaroo, which was expected to launch in 2008, and described it as "bizarre" and "hugely risky".[20] In March 2019, Channel 4 confirmed interest in collaborating with the BBC and ITV.[21] Currently, McMafia, Last Tango in Halifax, Les Misérables and the sitcom Gavin & Stacey have been confirmed to be available on the UK version.[21]

In July 2019, the BBC and ITV announced they had signed an agreement to launch BritBox in the UK in the last quarter of 2019.[22]

On 20 September 2019, ITV announced they had reached a deal with Viacom (now ViacomCBS) for Channel 5 and Comedy Central UK content.[23] This was followed by an announcement on 27 September that Samsung TVs, Freeview Play and YouView would be the first distribution platforms [24]

In October 2019, BritBox launched its "testing phase" (beta) in the United Kingdom, in which users can sign up for a free trial to have a "snapshot of what will be there at launch".[25]

One day before UK launch, on 6 November 2019, the Guardian reported that Channel 4 is to join BritBox after the two signed a 3-year deal to provide 1000+ hours of content from All 4 "with a range of comedy, drama and non-scripted programmes from across the service, including new series, and for the first time to any streamer, an exclusive Film4 curated service featuring iconic British films".[26][27] This means for the first time, all the UK's traditional channels have managed to successfully bring together programmes on a single streaming service. Channel 4 content will be available on BritBox from April 2020 and Film4 content later in 2020, with recently aired content being only available on BritBox 31 days after the airing of the last episode on Channel 4.[27] Channel 4 currently has not taken an equity stake in BritBox.

In March 2020, ITV described BritBox as "on plan" following its UK launch last November. The majority-owner in the BBC-ITV streaming venture reported a “strong growth” in subscribers, but didn’t report any specific numbers.[28]

On March 5 2020, BBC and ITV announced that BritBox is to launch in Australia, the service would bring Australians "an unrivalled collection of great British TV shows, and will build on the successful launch and operation of the service in both North America (USA and Canada) and most recently in the UK". BritBox is anticipated to launch in Australia in later 2020 with British content from across the past decades, including classic and contemporary box sets from the UK, to be directly available to Australian viewers via a wide range of mobile and connected home devices.

BritBox Australia will be run as a 50/50 Joint Venture between ITV and BBC Studios, and ITV says, the service will draw on the experience of the teams and technology used to successfully launch BritBox in North America and the UK while also recruiting a local team to conduct Australian operations.[5]

On 5 December 2019, ITV's subscription video on demand Group Director Reemah Sakaan said in an interview that the service in North America had reached profitability;[29] this was followed in 2020 by news that the service there had surpassed 1 million users.[13] A study commissioned by the UK media regulator Ofcom previously predicted that BritBox could have 2 million UK subscribers by the year 2023, alongside newly launched US-based SVODs Disney+ and Apple TV+.

In September 2017, BritBox released a reconstruction of the Doctor Who story The Wheel in Space using the surviving episodes and reconstruction using Tele-snaps.[34] In July 2018, The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco made its debut, the first original drama series in which BritBox held a direct production role.[35]

More original content is set to be commissioned and produced for 2020, following the platform's UK launch, with the BBC Media Centre stating "The first new show is expected to be commissioned soon and will be available to BritBox viewers from 2020".[36] The goal is to offer exclusive content only available on BritBox, rather than BBC and ITV's UK VOD services BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub. The annual budget for original programmes will be in the tens of millions of pounds according to BBC News.[37]

ITV has pledged to invest up to £65m in the joint venture over the next two years, and the BBC has said their pledge would be in the "tens of millions".[38]

In addition to containing the catalogues of BBC and ITV television, BritBox includes content from Channel 4 (including Film4), and ViacomCBS through the UK channels Channel 5 and Comedy Central.

Other potential networks to offer content or ownership of BritBox include: NBCUniversal (owned by Comcast) and BT. Such collaboration would greatly increase BritBox's catalogue and financial resources when competing with other streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. BT and NBCUniversal were reportedly in early talks with BritBox, but the progress of the talks have yet to be stated, with NBCUniversal launching their own streaming service, Peacock in the US in 2020[44] and its parent Comcast owning Sky's UK streaming service Now TV, making collaboration with NBCUniversal unlikely. BT has since signed a partnership with BritBox in which the service will complement it own content.

Arran Tindall, Senior Vice President, Commercial & Content Distribution, Viacom International Media Networks (now ViacomCBS Networks International) said “Under Viacom’s ownership we have significantly increased Channel 5’s investment in original UK content and we’re delighted to bring our popular homegrown content to an even wider audience through BritBox, alongside a selection of Comedy Central’s much-loved UK programming.” following the announcement that Viacom (ViacomCBS) content of Channel 5 and Comedy Central UK would be joining the service.[45]

In the early days of BritBox, Channel 4 was reportedly in talks with BritBox for a long period, ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall confirmed to RadioTimes.com that talks are "continuing" with Channel 4 and said that they will "welcome Channel 4 to BritBox".[46] On 6 November, the Guardian reported that Channel 4 is to join BritBox, with its content expected to be available on the service from early 2020.[26]

However, Channel 4, a publisher-broadcaster, must commission UK content from independent production companies and currently works with around 300 companies across the UK every year.[27] As such, Channel 4 potentially lacks the streaming rights to many of the shows it broadcasts. Many independent broadcasters waive these rights in order to strike more lucrative deals with larger SVODs while retaining control over their intellectual property. This would therefore potentially cause the UK platform to have differing content from the North American platform.

Content co-produced between British Broadcasters and Larger SVODs like Netflix and Prime Video will not be available on all or any BritBox platforms.[47] This includes shows like Bodyguard regarding which a BritBox spokesperson said "Can't come back home", adding that “going forward, [BritBox] won’t licence things to Netflix and Amazon in the first place because we now have a home, a streaming service in the UK”.[48]

With programming rights becoming an important issue for BritBox, the BBC and ITV have worked to keep programming rights by making deals, purchasing production companies (as with ITV Studios) or producing content for each other.[49]

* after airing, not all content is expected to be on BritBox during the stated time frame.

This may not apply to all platforms.

A big part of the BritBox catalogue is the extensive archives of the public service broadcasters, BritBox faces the challenge of hosting content which contains outdated stereotypes and opinions. In response to this, BritBox has announced that it would not include classic homegrown series that are deemed to be inappropriate for modern audiences.

BritBox bosses have said a range of older shows, such as the BBC's Till Death Us Do Part and It Ain't Half Hot Mum, as well as ITV's Love Thy Neighbour, will not appear on the service because of content deemed racist or otherwise unacceptable.[55] Reemah Sakaan, the senior ITV executive responsible for launching the subscription video-on-demand service, said "We also recomply everything that goes on to BritBox [with modern TV viewing standards]. There's also the ability to create bespoke warnings around key programming."

Sakaan confirmed that Till Death Us Do Part, first aired on BBC1 in 1965, which features the bigoted character Alf Garnett, and ITV's 1970s series Love Thy Neighbour, a sitcom about a West Indian couple who move next door to a White British couple, will not appear on the service. Some individual episodes of some shows that appear on BritBox such as BBC's Only Fools and Horses, Fawlty Towers and Doctor Who serial from the original run (The Talons of Weng-Chiang, 1977) are also deemed problematic. In the Doctor Who serial, people of Chinese extraction are termed "inscrutable Chinks" and an English actor performs in "yellowface". However, it is understood that no Fawlty Towers episodes will be cut from the service but will run with warnings of offensive language instead. The Doctor Who serial from 1977 has a warning attached indicating "Contains stereotypes that some may find offensive."[55][56]

The sale of rights to BBC and Channel 5 content has caused some reporters to be wary of BritBox's viability as a platform for new content, due to deals with larger SVODs to exclusively stream newer BBC content and non-exclusive deals with Sky and Now TV to access Channel 5 box sets.[57] However, many BBC Studios' deals have given licences to some of its content to many other SVODs on a non-exclusive basis. With newer or co-produced series more likely to be exclusive to certain SVODs. Whereas Sky already has existing deals with not only Channel 5, but Channel 4 and the BBC to have certain box sets on their Sky and Now TV platforms in the UK.[58]

The 11 series of 2005 revival and future series 13 and 14 of Doctor Who will be exclusive to stream on HBO Max in the US, following a deal between the two, on 1 August 2019.[57] Other content from BBC Studios such as The Honourable Woman, Luther, Top Gear, and the British version of The Office would be available on HBO Max on a non-exclusive basis, meaning they would potentially be also available on BritBox.[59]

On 1 April 2019, a 10-year content partnership was agreed between BBC Studios and Discovery, which will see Discovery become the exclusive global home of the BBC's landmark natural history programs including the Planet Earth, Blue Planet and Life franchises for SVOD. The Dynasties series, hosted by Sir David Attenborough, is included in the deal, as are future BBC-commissioned landmark series. This deal applies Worldwide except the UK, Ireland and Greater China, meaning such series may be unavailable on BritBox platforms outside the United Kingdom. Upcoming co-produced content between Discovery and BBC Studios would be exclusive to Discovery's upcoming streaming platform outside the UK.[60][61]

The Discovery deal includes around 500 hours of non-exclusive content, which will still be available on other streaming services. A BBC Studios spokesperson told TBI that the relationship with Discovery is "very significant and important but it is not 100% exclusive on all titles in all regions and is therefore able to co-exist alongside regional deals of this type", following BBC Studios' deal to provide factual content to Greek telco OTE's pay-TV service Cosmote TV.[62]

With limitations to its budget and original programming when compared to other SVODs, BritBox faces strong competition in the increasingly crowded streaming market. Critics warn that BritBox needs to greatly increase its financial firepower and original programming in order to compete in especially the UK market, against rivals, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, following reports more Brits would subscribe to Disney+ over BritBox.[63] Critics say that BritBox is no rival, and cannot rival Netflix without substantial resources.

Another British-focused SVOD, Acorn TV, owned by AMC Networks, has announced it will launch in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on April 29 2020. Providing BritBox with direct competition in the UK, as with North America currently. [64][65]

The list of available programmes differs between the Canada, UK and US platforms.[66] For example, BritBox carries Coronation Street in the US but not in Canada, where the corresponding rights have long been held by CBC Television. Meanwhile, in the UK, TV shows, especially produced by independent production companies (like the BBC show Peaky Blinders) may appear on the UK BritBox, as the BBC or ITV have the domestic broadcasting rights, but may not be available on BritBox elsewhere, due to the independent production companies giving international rights to services like Netflix. This means that depending on whether the BBC and ITV owns only the domestic rights, programmes on UK BritBox may not also be available on its American and Canadian platforms.[37] Alternatively, shows like Living the Dream may not appear on the UK BritBox, as it is broadcast by Sky and available on Sky's streaming service Now TV in the UK, but currently appears on the US BritBox.[67]

BBC and ITV content currently on other streaming services are likely to be exclusive to BritBox once the other SVOD licences expire, therefore potentially leading to harmony in programming between the platforms.[38] Any original content produced for BritBox is set to be exclusively on BritBox.

Content co-produced between British Broadcasters and Larger SVODs, like Netflix and Prime Video, will not be available on all or any BritBox platforms.,[47] these include shows like Bodyguard in which a BritBox Spokesperson said "can't come back home", and who added that "going forward, we [BritBox] won’t licence things to Netflix and Amazon in the first place because we now have a home, a streaming service in the UK",[48] they also added that in response to not licensing to other SVODs, since its focus is on UK-produced series, the platform would not compete to acquire the rights to US or international shows.[68]

Recently aired or current shows made for the BBC, ITV, Channel 5 and Channel 4 terrestrially in the United Kingdom, would appear on their VOD services, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, My5 and All 4 respectively before BritBox. These shows would then move to BritBox at a later date, then be exclusive to BritBox once the shows have expired on the terrestrial VOD,[49] which is 30 days for ITV Hub and My5, 31 days for All 4 and 12 months for BBC iPlayer.[69]

New content not made exclusively for BritBox, but for the BBC for example, may not be available on BritBox platforms outside the UK, due to deals struck with other SVODs such as HBO Max and Discovery.[70]

BritBox's launch in the United States was announced in December 2016, it launched on 7 March 2017.[7]

Among the shows offered upon BritBox's initial launch, were the US premieres of New Blood and Tutankhamun. In addition, other episodes of new programmes available on the service include:

In its debut year of 2017, the service also focused on much of the classic catalogue of British television such as:

BBC shows

ITV shows

And a few shows from other networks like:

*Pilot episode was broadcast originally on ITV.

**Shared with HBO Max.

***Originally a BBC series, which moved to UKTV in 2009.

In 2017, it was said there are more than 2,000 of hours of programming available on launch. A BritBox spokesperson said this number will change, as new shows are “added daily.”[72] The programming is offered without commercial interruption.[73]

Content made by/for ITV and the BBC which is currently licensed to other streaming platforms such as Netflix, would be removed once their licences expire.[48]

On 1 August 2019, upcoming HBO Max announced its acquisition of library rights to several BBC Studios series, including the first 11 seasons of the 2005 Doctor Who revival, as well as future seasons 12–14. The Honourable Woman, Luther, Top Gear, and the British version of The Office are also some other shows in the acquisition. HBO Max will also stream future seasons of Doctor Who after their initial run on BBC America. Newer Doctor Who would be exclusive to HBO Max, with the other shows in the deal sold on a non-exclusive basis.[57][59]

BritBox Canada-inspired Stacked Logo

BritBox launched in Canada on 14 February 2018,[8] on launch the service included a free 7-day trial and in which content can be streamed on the web, on an iOS app, Apple TV, Android, Samsung TVs, Chromecast and Roku. It comes with a free 7-day introductory trial, and priced at $8.99 CAD per month on launch.[9] Users who signed up for the service in the U.S. will be able to access their subscription in Canada.

The catalogue of content on the Canadian platform is similar to the American platform, but minor differences do exist, for example Coronation Street isn't on Canadian BritBox, due to CBC Television holding the Canadian broadcasting rights.

Coloured variation of BritBox logo

BritBox launched in the UK on 7 November 2019 with a 30-day free trial and a subscription price of £5.99 per month with no minimum term contract for HD viewing and multi-screen viewing.[37][74] Unlike other platforms, the UK platform would include content from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Film 4, Channel 5 and Comedy Central UK.

BritBox UK signed a partnership deal with Channel 4 in 2019, allowing the service to host over a thousand hours of content from All 4 over the next three years. New series will continue to appear on BritBox one month after transmission of the last episode on Channel 4.

Complete box-sets launching in April 2020 include:

An exclusive Film4 curated service featuring iconic British films will follow on BritBox later in 2020.[75]

On March 5 2020, BBC and ITV announced that BritBox is to launch in Australia in late 2020.[5]

BritBox currently only has platforms in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, however on 15 October 2019, BBC Studios global distribution president Paul Dempsey admitted there were more markets where the UK-skewing service could work. Alongside the upcoming launch of BritBox in Australia, taking the service into its fourth market, BBC Studios and ITV have announced that they will continue to evaluate new opportunities for the roll-out of BritBox in additional territories around the world.

BritBox is only available to residents of Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. UK residents can watch BritBox when temporarily outside the UK but within the EU.[76] Canadian and US residents can use BritBox in both Canada and the US (with differences in show availability due to rights restrictions) but it cannot be used outside of North America (including the UK version of BritBox while in the UK).[77]

When accessing BritBox not via a web browser

More connected TV platforms & devices to be added in 2020 for UK platform, excluding the Sky Q platform in the UK for the mean time after Sky expressed BritBox as "not something Sky is seriously considering right now". [90]