Renewed: Channel 4 shows added to Netflix UK again; still set to leave LOVEFiLM Instant
David Farnor | On 18, Feb 2014
The Channel 4 TV shows that were removed from Netflix UK on Saturday 15th February have all been added again.
Father Ted, Peep Show, The IT Crowd and other classic series were taken down from the Internet TV service at the weekend, as their licences expired. Now, though, Channel 4 and Netflix have renewed their deal, bringing back favourites such as The Inbetweeners and Shameless for the company’s millions of subscribers across the country.
Research by VODzilla.co last week revealed that shows such as Skins would be leaving both Netflix UK and its Amazon-owned rival, LOVEFiLM Instant, in the coming weeks.
The cycle of removing and adding titles is a central part of the subscription-based VOD business: licences for content regularly expire. The apparent decision not to renew by Channel 4 followed the broadcaster’s removal of full episodes from YouTube in January, which was part of its “focus on bringing online viewers of our full-length shows to our own 4oD apps — such as those on iOS, Android and channel4.com”.
Indeed, Channel 4 recently announced that its total number of registered users has topped 10 million, with half of all UK viewers aged between 16 and 24 now signed up to a 4OD account. That viewing data is being used to improve Channel 4’s advertising, boost its digital revenue and power recommendations for users. The broadcaster has said that it will also use the information to aid decisions in commissioning future content.
While the removal of content from Netflix UK and LOVEFILM Instant seemed a natural step in promoting 4oD, though, Channel 4 never ruled out the renewal of a deal between them.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 told us: “VoD content has been part of Netflix since its very first day in the UK over two years ago – and we’ve had a line-up of Channel 4 shows on Amazon for some time now.”
“We value our partnerships with both Netflix and Amazon and have on-going discussions about the make-up of our content showcase on the platforms.”
Indeed, several Channel 4 titles were not scheduled to leave Netflix UK at all, according to its listings, which displayed no expiry dates for Elizabeth I, Drop the Dead Donkey, Black Books, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd and Margaret, Teachers, Top Boy and Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind.
Now, they have been joined once more by the rest of Channel 4’s content.
At the time of writing, though, Channel 4 has still not renewed its content deals with Amazon. The renewal with Netflix suggests that the broadcaster will keep its shows on both subscription platforms, but if LOVEFiLM Instant’s licences expire, Channel 4 shows will only be available on one of the two rivals, which could be a significant factor in viewers’ decisions to sign up to one or the other.
As always, we will bring you any further updates.
List of Channel 4 shows added again to Netflix UK today:
Anatomy for Beginners
Beaver Falls
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings
Campus
Cutting Edge: Cocaine
Cutting Edge: Katie: My Beautiful Friends
Cutting Edge: My Big Fat Royal Gypsy Wedding
Da Ali G Show
Derren Brown: Enigma
Father Ted
Fresh Meat
Friday Night Dinner
Green Wing
Heston’s Fishy Feasts
Hugh’s Chicken Run
Made in Chelsea
Misfits
My Big Fat Royal Gypsy Wedding
Peep Show
Pete Versus Life
Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares
Shameless
Sirens
Skins
The Inbetweeners
The IT Crowd
List of Channel 4 shows to be removed from LOVEFiLM Instant:
Saturday 1st March
Black Books (Season 1)
Black Books (Season 2)
Black Books (Season 3)
Da Ali G Show (Season 1)
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind (Season 1)
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind (Season 2)
Drop the Dead Donkey (Season 1)
Drop the Dead Donkey (Season 2)
Drop the Dead Donkey (Season 3)
Elizabeth I
Father Ted (Season 1)
Father Ted (Season 2)
Fresh Meat (Season 1)
Friday Night Dinner
Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word (Season 4)
Green Wing (Season 1)
Green Wing (Season 2)
Heston’s Mission Impossible
Misfits (Season 1)
Misfits (Season 2)
Peep Show (Season 5)
Peep Show (Season 6)
Peep Show (Season 7)
Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (Season 3)
Shameless (Season 4)
Shameless (Season 5)
Shameless (Season 6)
Shameless (Season 7)
Skins (Season 2)
Skins (Season 3)
Skins (Season 4)
Skins (Season 5)
Teachers (Season 1)
Teachers (Season 2)
Teachers (Season 3)
Teachers (Season 4)
The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off
The Inbetweeners (Season 1)
The Inbetweeners (Season 2)
The Inbetweeners (Season 3)
The IT Crowd (Season 1)
The IT Crowd (Season 2)
Sunday 16th March
Shameless (Season 1)
Skins (Season 1)
Wednesday 19th March
Peep Show (Season 1)
Peep Show (Season 2)
Peep Show (Season 3)
Peep Show (Season 4)
Pete Versus Life
Friday 21st March
Shameless (Season 2)
Shameless (Season 3)
Thursday 27th March
Drop the Dead Donkey (Season 4)
Drop the Dead Donkey (Season 5)
Drop the Dead Donkey (Season 5)
Saturday 19th April
My Big Fat Royal Gypsy Wedding