Revamped BBC Entertainment Debuts in India

LONDON: BBC Entertainment has launched with a fresh look and a new multi-genre slate for English-speaking audiences in India, touting the tagline Seriously Entertaining TV.

For the first time, BBC Entertainment will showcase factual and lifestyle programming, alongside its roster of drama and comedy. Mornings are dedicated to lifestyle, with a lineup that includes Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey, Rhodes Across Italy and Colin & Justin’s Home Heist. From late morning to early evening, "feel-good" entertainment programs are what’s on the slate, including Gok’s Fashion Fix, Hotel Babylon and Grand Designs. Prime-time family viewing will feature a mix of programming, such as Sherlock and Human Project. Post-10 p.m., BBC Entertainment will air contemporary, fast-paced and edgy entertainment. The slots will include Top Gear, The Graham Norton Show and Spooks.

The refreshed BBC Entertainment channel is now available on cable and DTH in India.

Mark Whitehead, the senior VP and general manager of BBC Worldwide Channels Asia, commented, “The Indian pay-TV market possesses significant scale and its future potential for advertising is vast. India has been identified as a key market for the growth of our Asian business, and we have been working to create a unique channel destination for local viewers. The all-new BBC Entertainment channel has been specifically designed for the market after much local research and we are incredibly excited about its prospects.”

Deepak Shourie, the director for South Asia at BBC Worldwide Channels, added, “India, with its large English-speaking population, high level of BBC brand recognition and strong affinity with the U.K., is a significant market for us. The refreshed channel, with its unique, award-winning and top-rated programs, targets upscale English-speaking viewers and will deliver some much-desired audience segments to advertisers in India.”