Vampire Diaries to Make British Debut on iTunes

LONDON: ITV is to make the drama The Vampire Diaries available on the iTunes Store months before its debut on British television.

The show is scheduled to launch on ITV2 in February, but is available through the ITV2 area on iTunes immediately after it airs in the U.S. The 22-episode series, based on the series of books by LJ Smith, has been adapted for TV by Dawson’s Creek and Scream writer Kevin Williamson. The first 10 episodes, which have already been broadcast in the U.S. on The CW, will be made available on iTunes in the coming weeks.

"This highly innovative approach to releasing The Vampire Diaries gives us and ITV2 the chance to maximise excitement ahead of its U.K. premiere in February, and provides consumers with a high-quality legal alternative to pirated versions," said the Warner Bros. Entertainment U.K. president and managing director, Josh Berger.

"Recent hits such as Gossip Girl have demonstrated how new entertainment brands can be fuelled by the passion of early adopters," added ITV’s director of digital channels and acquisitions, Zai Bennett. "By making The Vampire Diaries available in the ITV2 area on iTunes we’re feeding the appetite for brand-new U.S. content and helping to spread the word about a show we’re incredibly excited about."