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BBC Entertainment

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.

BBC Entertainment
Broadcast areaEurope
Middle East
Africa
South Asia
Asia Pacific
Latin America
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
Ownership
OwnerBBC
ParentBBC Studios
Sister channelsCBeebies
BBC World News
BBC Lifestyle
BBC Earth
BBC HD
BBC First
BBC Brit
History
Launched1 October 2006; 18 years ago (2006-10-01)
ReplacedBBC 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; 9 years ago (2015-04-13) (Nordic Regions)
1 September 2015; 9 years ago (2015-09-01) (Africa)
1 October 2015; 9 years ago (2015-10-01) (Malaysia)
1 January 2016; 8 years ago (2016-01-01) (Central Eastern Europe)
1 November 2016; 8 years ago (2016-11-01) (Hong Kong & Singapore)
10 March 2017; 7 years ago (2017-03-10) (Taiwan)
13 April 2017; 7 years ago (2017-04-13) (Latin America)
31 March 2024; 7 months ago (2024-03-31)
Replaced byBBC Brit
BBC Earth (Central and Eastern Europe)
BBC First (Hong Kong & Singapore)
CBeebies (Taiwan)
Links
Websitewww.bbcentertainment.com

History

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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 on 1 October 2015 and was replaced by BBC First after 1 year. 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

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Main article: List of television programmes broadcast by the BBC

This table is not complete

Programme name Format / Genre First broadcast First seen on
BBC Entertainment
A Question of Sport Quiz show 1970–
Absolutely Fabulous Sitcom 1992–2012
After You've Gone Sitcom 2007–2008 April 2013
Alan Carr: Chatty Man Comedy chat show 2009–2017 March 2013
Antiques Roadshow Documentary 1979–
As Time Goes By Sitcom 1992–2005 March 2013
Bargain Hunt Game Show 2000–
Bedlam Supernatural drama 2011–2012
Being Erica Comedy drama 2009–2011 May 2013
Big Barn Farm Children's TV 2008–
Blue Peter Children's TV 1958– April 2016
Casualty Medical drama 1986– April 2013
Coast Travel 2005-2021 December 2012
Come Dine with Me Cooking 2005–
Doctors Soap opera 2000– March 2013
Doctor Who Sci-fi drama 1963–89; 2005– February 2013
Dragons Den Entrepreneurial reality TV 2005–
EastEnders Soap opera 1985– February 2013
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Reality TV 2003–2012
Fawlty Towers Sitcom 1975–1979 May 2015
Full Circle Michael Palin Travel documentary 1997 March 2013
The Graham Norton Show Comedy 2007– October 2016
Grandpa in My Pocket Children's TV comedy 2009–2014
Holby City Medical drama 1999–2022
Humf Children's TV 2009–11
Hustle Drama 2004–2012
Ideal Comedy drama 2005–2011 March 2013
Lark Rise to Candleford Period drama 2008–2011 April 2013
Lead balloon comedy 2007–2011 March 2013
Live at the Apollo Standup comedy 2004– March 2013
Luther Psychological crime drama 2010–2011 March 2013
Masterchef (UK) Cooking 2005– March 2013
Merlin drama 2008–2012 September 2014
Monarch of the Glen Drama 2000–2005 March 2013
Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work Documentary 2007
My Family Sitcom 2000–2011 February 2013
New Tricks Crime drama 2003– March 2013
Ocean Giants Natural history 2011
Of Better or Worse Drama sitcom 2005–2019 May 2013
One Foot in the Grave Sitcom 1990–2000 November 2012
Orphan Black Drama 2013–2017
Penelope K, by the way Children's TV 2010–2012
Sahara with Michael Palin Travel documentary 2005 May 2013
The Secret Millionaire Reality TV 2006– May 2013
Silk Legal crime drama 2011– May 2013
Smart sharks Natural history 2003
South Pacific Nature documentary 2009
Spooks Drama 2002–2011 May 2013
Still Open All Hours Comedy 2013–2019 March 2024
Strictly Come Dancing Talent show 2004– October 2016
Top Gear Motoring/Entertainment 2002–2022
Twenty Twelve Comedy 2011–2012 November 2012
Ty's Great British Adventure Reality TV 2008–2010
The Underground Sketch comedy 2006
The Voice UK Talent show 2012– May 2016
Waking the Dead Police procedural drama 2000–2011 February 2013
Walking with Dinosaurs Documentary 1999
Walk on the Wild Side Comedy 2009– April 2013
Waybuloo Children's TV 2009–2012
Weakest Link Game show 2000–2012; 2017; 2021– January 2013
Would I Lie to You? Comedy 2007– October 2016
Waterloo Road Drama 2006–2015; 2023–
Yes Minister Political satire 1980–1984

See also

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References

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  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.
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