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.
History 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 platform Astro 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".
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, before later extending to other Central and South American countries.
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. 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.
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.
Programming
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 BBC America BBC Canada BBC Earth BBC First BBC HD (international) BBC Knowledge BBC Lifestyle BBC World News CBeebies
References
External links BBC Entertainment - Official website BBC Nordic - Official website BBC to launch global TV channels BBC News Online BBC Worldwide bows new channels Variety BBC launches entertainment, kids channels BBC Worldwide, Televisa to launch channels BBC Prime to be rebranded as BBC Entertainment in Europe and Middle East