BookMyShow Stream to premiere BBC shows

Transaction video-on-demand service BookMyShow Stream has announced a content partnership with BBC Studios which will see the launch of a BBC First dedicated branded space in the form of a widget on the pay-per-view service. Shows available on the platform will initially include British dramas like Sherwood, Ragdoll and Unforgotten, while titles like Smother, Traces, The Chelsea Detective and Happy Valley will stream over the next two quarters.

“BBC Studios is known for our premium content that is backed by powerful storytelling and the ability to connect with a global audience. We are constantly looking at innovative ways to complement the evolving consumption habits of our audiences and are delighted to embark on this new partnership with BookMyShow Stream to reach new audiences in the dynamic and vibrant streaming landscape of India,” Stanley Fernandes, BBC Studios’ vice-president for distribution, South Asia, said in a statement.

Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer, cinemas, BookMyShow, said the TVoD space is gaining traction as more and more entertainment enthusiasts are imbibing the culture of pay for what you want to watch, rather than having multiple subscriptions. “With BBC Studios taking cognizance of the mammoth opportunity this category holds, we are excited to see this exclusive partnership scale it further. We are thrilled to bring BBC Studios titles into the BookMyShow Stream fold furthering our aspiration to bring compelling international content for Indian audiences,” Saksena said in a statement.

Having launched with 600 movie titles last February, BookMyShow’s TVoD (transaction video-on-demand) service brings a range of Hollywood, Hindi and independent, and foreign cinema in partnership with American studios, such as Sony Pictures, Warner Bros and Universal Pictures, Indian production houses, such as Viacom18, Shemaroo, and Rajshri Productions, as well as regional content providers, such as Divo and Sillymonks, among others. Live Mint