David Farnor | On 20, Jun 2016

UKTV has inked a landmark deal with Virgin Media, giving Virgin Media customers access to more UKTV shows than on any other pay TV platform in the UK or Ireland.

The agreement will double the number of programmes available to Virgin Media customers, giving subscribers access to more than 10,000 hours of catch-up and box-set content across a range of award-winning UKTV Originals, US and UK acquisitions, and much-loved favourites from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

The deal includes the launch of the updated UKTV Play app on Virgin Media’s TiVo platform, allowing Virgin Media customers to watch a wealth of catch-up and box-set titles from UKTV’s free-to-air channels Dave, Drama, Yesterday and Really. Shows available on-demand include Wonders of the Solar System, Parks & Recreation, David Starkey’s Monarchy and Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled.

Simon Michaelides, UKTV’s Chief Commercial Officer, says: “Virgin Media is one of our most valued customers and we’re delighted to have partnered with them to expand and enhance our pay TV offer in this way. Virgin Media subscribers now have unique access to the most comprehensive on-demand offer from UKTV anywhere in the market. This step-change in the volume of on-demand content is part of our long term commitment to growth in pay TV and we look forward to expanding on this in the future.”

David Bouchier, Chief Digital Entertainment Officer for Virgin Media, says: “Throughout this year we’ve been expanding the fantastic range of on demand programming which lets our customers watch what they want, when they want. We’re delighted to be building on our leadership by giving our customers more UKTV shows than are available on any other platform. With the arrival of the UKTV Play app and the doubling of catch-up content our customers can access more of the entertainment they love in the way they want.”

Virgin Media customers will have access to even more box sets of UKTV Originals, including Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Marley’s Ghosts and Hoff the Record. The broadcaster has also expanded the volume of shows available from its pay exclusive channels, Gold, W, Alibi, Good Food and Eden, with brand new episodes from shows such as Murdoch Mysteries, The Strain, The Rebel and Rosewood.

Following the successful launch of entertainment channel W earlier this year – whose viewership has increased by 19 per cent among its target audience since launch – distribution of the channel is also being increased to include Virgin Media Ireland.

The deal will take effect from later this year.

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