As it aims to maintain its ramp up momentum ITV, BBC-led SVOD service BritBox has confirmed that it is now available on Panasonic’s premium range of televisions, on smart TVs manufactured by Vestel, and on Google Chromecast streaming sticks.
BritBox claims to be bringing to viewers for £5.99 a month, in HD and across multiple devices, the greatest collection of British boxsets with homegrown talent. The collection includes brand new and recent programmes as well as classic British TV. Full box-sets include all six series and specials of Downton Abbey, all three series of Broadchurch, seven series of Only Fools and Horses, three series of Gavin & Stacey and both series of Extras. BritBox will be the home of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Poirot, and reality fans will be able to enjoy all the past series of Love Island.
BBC exclusives coming to BritBox in the next six months include The Great British Bake Off (1-7), Les Misérables and The Split. Also available immediately are recent ITV dramas A Confession and Manhunt coming straight to BritBox exclusively after catch-up window on the ITV Hub, as well as recent ITV and BBC titles including The Trip, Deep Water, Wolf Hall, and Rev. The portfolio has been significantly enhanced with content from Channel 4 as well BT and subsidiary EE.
This is in addition to the TV devices supported at launch. BritBox is now accessible on around 10 million devices, which represents a third of UK video-on-demand homes and is targeted to be available on around 20 million devices by Spring 2020.
In terms of platforms, Panasonic’s premium range of televisions have featured the BritBox app since 10 December 2019. Commenting on the new move, Panasonic UK head of marketing for TV Helen Dixon said: “We are pleased to be one of the first to support BritBox with the inclusion on our premium range of TV’s in order to bring classic British television programmes to our customers’ homes, especially in time for Christmas.”
BritBox is now also available on a range of smart TVs using the Vestel platform, which allows owners of Toshiba, JVC, HITACHI, Bush, Digihome, Finlux, Logik, Luxor, Polaroid, Techwood and more TVs to access the service via an app. “BritBox will be featured on model ranges from 2017 onwards and support for further Freeview Play compatible models will be added soon,” added Vestel vice president of marketing Hakan Kutlu.
The BritBox Chromecast app allows subscribers to view BritBox on any television with an HDMI port by adding a £30 Chromecast device. Viewers are able to use their iOS or Android smartphone to browse and select from the biggest collection of British box-sets, and then enjoy watching it on the big screen using their phone as a remote control.