BritBox announces global expansion plan

BBC Studios and ITV today announce their intention to roll out BritBox globally which could see the streaming platform expanding to up to 25 countries worldwide.

Building upon the success of the service in the US and Canada, where it recently hit one million subscribers, as well as the UK, where it launched in November 2019, BritBox will seek to broaden its global footprint across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa. As previously announced, BritBox will also be launching in Australia later in 2020.

BritBox boasts the largest collection of British TV boxsets and internationally, BritBox operates as a 50/50 joint venture between BBC Studios and ITV.

BritBox offers its North American subscribers the best in UK programming, with many exclusive premiere releases such as Shetland & Vera launching day and date with the UK and soaps such as Coronation Street & EastEnders available the day after UK transmission. The service has also launched various original commissions and co-pros such as The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco, The Mallorca Files, There She Goes and The Bay. 

The ITV controlled UK service has recently announced its first slate of British Original scripted commissions: Spitting Image (Avalon), A Spy Among Friends (Sony & ITV Studios); The Beast Must Die (New Regency Television and Scott Free), Crime (Bucaneer Media) and Magpie Murders (Eleventh Hour Films) will debut exclusively on the UK streamer.  

Carolyn McCall, ITV CEO, said:

“This international expansion plan will firmly establish BritBox as a global premium brand in a rapidly growing sector. Offering subscribers the best and biggest collection of British content has enabled BritBox to rapidly grow in our existing countries and as streaming continues to expand worldwide this roll out will give our distinctive streaming business truly international scale.”

Tim Davie CEO BBC Studios said:

“BritBox has very quickly found a place in viewers’ hearts and we know there is further appetite amongst international audiences who love great British content. We are actively appraising new markets to introduce the service and are very excited about the imminent launch in Australia.”