BritBox reaches 3m global subscribers

BritBox International has hit three million global subscribers, a lift of 15% during the past year.

It had previously announced 1m subscribers in March 2020, 2m in July 2021, and 2.6m in March 2022.

The BBC and ITV joint venture streaming platform operates in the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Africa and last year adding Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

During this time the service became available on Amazon Prime and Apple channels across Australia and has ramped up original co-productions including Stonehouse last month, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? in 2022, and co-commissions Sister Boniface Mysteries and Murder in Provence.

Reemah Sakaan, CEO, BritBox International said, “The strong performance of BritBox in international markets, ahead of industry averages, underlines how British television and talent continue to be a gold standard for quality around the world. In a crowded streaming market, this illustrates how there is room for distinct targeted services to find and grow loyal audiences. We live and breathe British TV like no-one else, and that’s been reflected in our ability to build out an expanded slate of new and original IP combined with a treasure trove of long-running British franchises. We are proud to champion British creativity and voices to millions of viewers, keeping talent and funding in the UK television ecosystem. It’s this passion and knowledge which keeps us distinctive from the other global streamers out there.”

Known for the best in British content, BritBox offers a world class collection of originals, co-productions, and other popular scripted and live programming. Over the past week, the company has announced the upcoming new co-productions Murder is Easy, an Agatha Christie adaptation, and After the Flood, starring Sophie Rundle. Also on its future slate is Archie, starring Jason Isaacs as Cary Grant, Payback starring Morven Christie and Peter Mullan, from Jed Mercurio, Passenger, from Andrew Buchan, and Three Little Birds, from Sir Lenny Henry. These recent announcements add to existing BritBox Original co-productions Beyond Paradise, a spin-off from the popular Death in Paradise, launching on February 24, as well as The Confessions of Frannie Langton, based on the award-winning book by Sara Collins, premiering on March 8.

Hit acquisitions premiering on BritBox International in the last year have included James Graham’s Sherwood starring Lesley Manville and David Morrissey, and mystery series Karen Pirie from author Val McDermid, adapted by Emer Kenny and starring Lauren Lyle, and Irvine Welsh’s Crime, starring Dougray Scott, all of which will return. Acclaimed drama A Spy Among Friends, starring Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce, also debuted on BritBox in Australia and Nordic markets.

BritBox’s subscriber growth over the past year has also been fueled by its content and market investment strategy, including the BritBox International co-production Stonehouse, which tells the extraordinary story of disgraced Labour Minister John Stonehouse, portrayed by Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen, who also serves as an executive producer.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?, the service’s first collaboration with the Agatha Christie estate, was produced, directed and adapted for screen by Hugh Laurie and stars Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton, sun-soaked co-commissioned murder mystery series Murder in Provence stars Roger Allam, and co-commission Sister Boniface Mysteries is a spin-off from the hugely successful series Father Brown.