Spike Set to Launch in the U.K. Next Month

LONDON: Spike is due to debut in the U.K. on April 15, launching with a lineup of British commissions and U.S. titles such as Breaking Bad.

The network, part of Channel 5’s portfolio, will feature original series, among them Police Interceptors Unleashed and Tattoo Disasters UK. It will also air dramas such as Breaking Bad, which will be broadcast from start to finish for the first time on British TV, and the latest season of The Walking Dead, the first time it will be accessible free-to-air to U.K. viewers. Other acquired dramas debuting from the launch include the British TV premiere of Olympus, Justified and Sons of Anarchy.

Additional shows slated to run on the network include the social media comedy Fail Army, the sports franchise Bellator MMA and the reality series from Spike in the U.S. Catch a Contractor and Frankenfood. The network will also air repeats of some of Channel 5’s factual output.

Ben Frow, Channel 5’s program director, whose editorial team will oversee commissioning, scheduling and acquisitions for the new channel, said: “Spike is a driven, high-energy channel offering a point-of-view and program mix that I think is different from anything else on British TV right now. I can’t wait to see our viewers embrace this exhilarating new channel.”