Skip to main content

U.K. TV giants unveil ‘BritBox’ streaming service to take on Netflix

The U.K’s two leading broadcasters are teaming up to take on Netflix.

BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC – and ITV have announced plans for a subscription-based, video-on-demand streaming service for the American market.

Recommended Videos

Called BritBox, the ad-free offering will launch early in 2017 and include a “rich catalog of classic, new, and exclusive” British-made content.

The service marks the first time for the BBC and ITV to partner in this way, and confirms rumors earlier in the year that the pair were cooperating on such a project.

“This unique streaming service will celebrate the very best of British TV, and offer the most comprehensive video-on-demand collection of British content in the market today,” BritBox said in a release. “For decades, BBC and ITV have produced iconic British television series, and for the first time these shows will be combined in a single, curated service allowing fans to find the classic shows they love and discover new hit series.”

Fawlty Towers and EastEnders

Classic shows already lined up for BritBox include the hit 1970s comedy Fawlty Towers written by and starring Monty Python’s John Cleese, and popular period dramas such as Brideshead Revisited, Pride and Prejudice, and Upstairs Downstairs. Soap fans will be able to follow their favorite characters  in London-based EastEnders, or can head north to Yorkshire for the latest happenings in Emmerdale, with editions from both shows hitting BritBox within 24 hours of broadcast in the U.K.

Similar to Netflix and other competing services, subscribers to BritBox will be able to view content via iOS and Android mobile devices, Roku, AppleTV, and Chromecast, with more platforms to follow.

It’s not yet clear what impact, if any, BritBox’s arrival will have on BBC America, or indeed how it might effect the distribution of British shows among other broadcasters in the U.S., with PBS, for example, having proved a popular home for a number of high-profile shows, ITV’s Downton Abbey and the BBC’s Sherlock among them.

Both the BBC and ITV have offered on-demand streaming services for many years, but both are only available to viewers based in the U.K. Features from both services are likely to be incorporated into BritBox.

Living outside the U.S. but like the sound of BritBox? The good news is that there are plans to roll out the service to more international markets over time, so sit tight.

Pricing for BritBox will be available at launch.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
3 BritBox shows you should watch in February 2024
Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in a promo image for The Fall.

There is certainly no shortage of great American television, but if you're someone who finds yourself wanting to see what other countries are up to on the small screen, then BritBox is perfect for you. The streaming service has a range of British exports (often about crime) that will suit just about any palate.

Anyone who is familiar with British TV likely knows that British series are distinct from their American counterparts in several ways, chief among them being that the seasons are far shorter and shows can run for a long, long time. We've picked out three great shows on BritBox that are worth checking out, each of which will give you a feel for what the service can offer.
The Fall (2013-2016)
The Fall | Trailer [HD] | | Netflix

Read more
Tubi is taking its free TV to the U.K. as it appoints new exec
The Tubi app icon on Apple TV.

Tubi, the Fox-owned streaming service that eschews subscription fees for advertising revenue, today announced that it's expanding its already impressive reach into the U.K., with a new executive VP to lead the way.

David Salmon was tapped as Executive Vice President and Managing Director, International. He'll be based in the U.K. and, in addition to that market, is also is looking to expand further into Latin America. Tubi currently has more than 70 million monthly active users in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, Panama, Australia, and New Zealand.

Read more
Everything coming to BritBox in August 2023
A man stands next to his wife in Next of Kin.

Summer is almost over, but most streamers still have enough content left to keep the summertime festivities going. While almost everyone knows and has Netflix or Prime Video, a select group has discovered the underrated pleasures of BritBox.

As the premiere streamer for all things British, BritBox always has compelling movies and TV shows that keep people coming back for more. August is no different, with the premieres of the acclaimed TV shows Murder Investigation Team, The Ex-Wife, and Next of Kin. There are also classic movies like A Room with a View and Another Country debuting as well. Like any other streaming service, titles come and go, so keep reading to find out everything coming to BritBox in August 2023.

Read more