BBC Entertainment

Last updated

BBC Entertainment
BBC Entertainment 2011.svg
Broadcast areaEurope
Middle East
Africa
South Asia
Asia Pacific
Latin America
Programming
Picture format 1080i HDTV
Ownership
Owner BBC
Parent BBC Studios
Sister channels CBeebies
BBC World News
BBC Lifestyle
BBC Earth
BBC HD
BBC First
BBC Brit
History
Launched1 October 2006;17 years ago (2006-10-01)
Replaced BBC Prime
Closed1 March 2010;14 years ago (2010-03-01) (Italy)
30 November 2012;11 years ago (2012-11-30) (India)
1 February 2015;9 years ago (2015-02-01) (Poland)
13 April 2015;8 years ago (2015-04-13) (Nordic Regions)
1 September 2015;8 years ago (2015-09-01) (Africa)
1 October 2015;8 years ago (2015-10-01) (Malaysia)
1 January 2016;8 years ago (2016-01-01) (Central Eastern Europe)
1 November 2016;7 years ago (2016-11-01) (Hong Kong & Singapore)
10 March 2017;7 years ago (2017-03-10) (Taiwan)
13 April 2017;6 years ago (2017-04-13) (Latin America)
31 March 2024;1 day ago (2024-03-31)
Replaced by BBC Brit
BBC Earth (Central and Eastern Europe)
BBC First (Hong Kong & Singapore)
CBeebies (Taiwan)
Links
Website www.bbcentertainment.com

BBC Entertainment was an international television channel that broadcast comedy, drama, light entertainment, reality and children's programming (some regions only) from the BBC, Channel 4 and other UK production houses. The channel broadcast regional versions to suit local demands and replaced BBC Prime in a gradual rollout from 2006 to 2009. It was wholly owned by BBC Studios.

Contents

History

The channel was launched in October 2006, replacing BBC Prime in Asian markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea. On 28 December 2006, it was launched on the Astro platform in Malaysia. The channel was launched in India in May 2007 on the Tata Sky platform and on India online Broadband Public Limited, but ceased broadcasting at the end of November 2012 due to "commercial considerations". [1]

The channel was launched in Poland, on Cyfrowy Polsat, in December 2007, and replaced BBC Prime on DStv in South Africa on 1 September 2008. It was launched together with its sister channels (BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and BBC HD) in the Nordic countries in November 2008, when it replaced BBC Prime on Canal Digital, Com Hem, Telia Digital-TV and FastTV. The Nordic countries get a separate feed of the channel which differs from that in the rest of Europe. It was also launched in Mexico on the SKY México digital satellite platform in August 2008 in a two-channel deal with Televisa that also included a localized CBeebies, and it has since extended to other Central and South American countries. [2]

The channel replaced BBC Prime in the rest of Europe and the Middle East & North Africa in November 2009, a move announced in August 2009 that enabled the completion of the rollout of the new brand. [3] In Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, BBC Entertainment is carried alongside BBC One and BBC Two on the Telenet, Ziggo, and Naxoo cable networks.

On 1 December 2009, Astro dropped the channel and replaced it with ITV Choice. On 1 March 2010 in Italy Sky Italia also dropped the channel. In 2010 Kabel Deutschland (Germany) made it a pay-TV channel.

In August 2012, Unifi picked up the channel, thus making the channel available in Malaysia once more after a 3-year hiatus. However Unifi dropped the channel in 1 October 2015 and replaced by BBC First on after 1 years. It ceased broadcasting on 1 January 2016 in CEE, and it was replaced by BBC Earth.

In January 2017, BBC Worldwide announced BBC Entertainment would cease its transmissions in Latin American countries, along with BBC Earth and CBeebies, in April 2017. The shutdown was motivated by a push towards content sales to other linear and OTT platforms. [4]

Finally, BBC First was launched in some Asian regions on 19 March 2016. Singapore Via Starhub TV broadcasts ceased on 29 April 2015, while in Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia, broadcasts ceased on 1 January 2017. In Myanmar and Mongolia, broadcasts ceased on 1 March 2018. In Taiwan, broadcasts ceased on 10 March 2017 and were replaced by CBeebies.

The channel shut down its last feed on 31 March 2024, with similar motivations to the decision taken in Latin America. [5]

Programming

This table is not complete

Programme nameFormat / GenreFirst broadcastFirst seen on
BBC Entertainment
A Question of Sport Quiz show1970-
Absolutely Fabulous Sitcom1992–2012
After You've Gone Sitcom2007–2008April 2013
Alan Carr: Chatty Man Comedy chat show2009-2017March 2013
Antiques Roadshow Documentary1979-
As Time Goes By Sitcom1992–2005March 2013
Bargain Hunt Game Show2000-
Bedlam Supernatural drama2011–2012
Being Erica Comedy drama2009–2011May 2013
Big Barn Farm Children's TV2008-
Blue Peter Children's TV1958-April 2016
Casualty Medical drama1986-April 2013
Coast Travel2005-2021December 2012
Come Dine with Me Cooking2005-
Doctors Soap opera2000-March 2013
Doctor Who Sci-fi drama1963-89 2005-February 2013
Dragons Den Entrepreneurial reality TV2005-
EastEnders Soap opera1985-February 2013
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Reality TV2003–2012
Fawlty Towers Sitcom1975-1979May 2015
Full Circle Michael Palin Travel documentary1997March 2013
The Graham Norton Show Comedy2007-October 2016
Grandpa in My Pocket Children's TV comedy2009-2014
Holby City Medical drama1999-2022
Humf Children's TV2009-11
Hustle Drama2004–2012
Ideal Comedy drama2005–2011March 2013
Lark Rise to Candleford Period drama2008–2011April 2013
Lead balloon comedy2007–2011March 2013
Live at the Apollo Standup comedy2004-March 2013
Luther Psychological crime drama2010–2011March 2013
Masterchef (UK) Cooking2005-March 2013
Merlin drama2008-2012September 2014
Monarch of the Glen Drama2000–2005March 2013
Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work Documentary2007
My Family Sitcom2000–2011February 2013
New Tricks Crime drama2003-March 2013
Ocean Giants Natural history2011
Of Better or WorseDrama sitcom2005-2019May 2013
One Foot in the Grave Sitcom1990–2000November 2012
Orphan Black Drama2013–2017
Penelope K, by the way Children's TV2010–2012
Sahara with Michael Palin Travel documentary2005May 2013
The Secret Millionaire Reality TV2006-May 2013
Silk Legal crime drama2011-May 2013
Smart sharks Natural history2003
South Pacific Nature documentary2009
Spooks Drama2002–2011May 2013
Still Open All Hours Comedy2013–2019March 2024
Strictly Come Dancing Talent show2004-October 2016
Top Gear Motoring/Entertainment2002-
Twenty Twelve Comedy2011–2012November 2012
Ty's Great British Adventure Reality TV2008–2010
The Underground Sketch comedy2006
The Voice UK Talent show2012-May 2016
Waking the Dead Police procedural drama2000–2011February 2013
Walking with Dinosaurs Documentary1999
Walk on the Wild Side Comedy2009-April 2013
Waybuloo Children's TV2009-2012
Weakest Link Game show2000–2012, 2017, 2021-January 2013
Would I Lie to You? Comedy2007-October 2016
Waterloo Road Drama2006-2015, 2023-
Yes Minister Political satire1980–1984

See also

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References

  1. Davies, Will (2 November 2012). "BBC Pulls Plug on Two India Channels - India Real Time - WSJ". Blogs.wsj.com. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  2. "BBC Prime reborn as Entertainment". Variety. 18 August 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  3. "BBCWW confirms Lat Am channels". C21 Media. 14 July 2008. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  4. "BBC Worldwide Latin America/US Hispanic announces the cease of operations of their pay TV channels as of April 2017 in Latin America". Produ. 5 January 2017. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  5. "BBC Entertainment confirms closure". Broadband TV News. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.