13 November 2014
- Virgin Media and UKTV agreement for on demand TV under new digital brand UKTV Play
Virgin TV customers can now enjoy on demand entertainment from all 10 of the award-winning broadcaster's channels for the first time. Programmes can now be viewed from across UKTV's channel line-up, including Dave, Watch, Alibi, Gold, Drama, Eden, Good Food, Home, Really and Yesterday. From early December, the content will move under UKTV's new digital brand, UKTV Play.
Adding to Virgin Media's immense library of Box Sets, entire series of Crackanory, Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Choccywoccydoodah: Starstruck and David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities will join the line-up for customers to watch at their convenience.
With new series and UK premieres of Monty Python's Best Bits (Gold) and I Survived Evil (Really) just starting, Virgin Media customers will also be able to catch-up within seven days if they miss an episode.
Stephane David, Executive Director of Content at Virgin Media said,
Around a fifth of all the TV our customers watch is at a time that suits them. People want control and choice over what to watch and when and we are giving them that. We have led the development of on demand TV in the UK and now, with the addition of hundreds of great UKTV programmes, offer more entertainment than ever before.
Dan Fahy, Director, Commercial & Business Development, UKTV, added,
UKTV is committed to making its content as easily accessible as possible for viewers and the addition of the network's full portfolio of channels to Virgin TV's on demand service marks the next step on this journey. From next month, viewers can access UKTV Play via their red button, enabling viewers to catch up on programmes from across all 10 of our channels or access box sets of UKTV's award-winning shows, in just one click.
All of UKTV's channels are available via Virgin TV Anywhere, the country's most comprehensive multiscreen service, where they can be watched online and on mobile devices on the go.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
UKTV on demand programmes will be available to Virgin Media customers subscribing to the M+ TV tier or above.
Virgin Media press office - press@virginmedia.co.uk / 0333 000 2900
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.
The company's cable network - the result of multi-billion pound private investment - delivers ultrafast broadband to over half of all UK homes, with speeds of up to 152Mb, as well as market leading connectivity to thousands of public and private sector organisations across the country.
Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to millions of British households.
The world's first virtual mobile network was launched by Virgin Media and it is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the country.
Virgin Media is a part of Liberty Global plc, the world's largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 24 million customers across 14 countries, helping connect people to the digital world and enabling them to discover and experience its endless possibilities.
About UKTV
UKTV is the multi-award winning media company that reaches over 42 million viewers every month.
UKTV's eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, Watch, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food - include the most popular non-PSB channel in the UK and account for 9% of the British commercial TV market. The company's most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £278m, and EBITDA of £67.4m. It invested a record £125m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories.
Now celebrating its 21st year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.