U.K. TV giant ITV will launch its new free, advertising-supported streaming service ITVX on Dec. 8, the company unveiled on Monday. It also detailed the debut dates for the streamer’s first original series.ITV, led by CEO Carolyn McCall, originally only promised to bring ITVX, which will replace its ITV Hub, to market in the fourth quarter, with a top executive this summer signaling the firm was planning a start possibly as early as November.“At launch, viewers will have access to over 10,000 hours of content in high definition, and ITVX will also drop new and exclusive programmes every week of the year,” the company said. “Viewers can also expect the full range of ITV drama past and present to go on the service, as well as documentaries, cult classics and hundreds of blockbuster films which will all stream for free” from Dec. 8.In addition, all ITV channels will be available to live stream through ITVX, along with “additional themed channels” and a dedicated news section on the streaming service.“We’re really excited to launch ITVX, with more content available than ever before and a whole range of exclusive commissions,” said McCall. “ITVX is powered by a significant, streaming-first commissioning budget and an integrated technology and data platform providing a high-quality, and more personalized, viewing and advertising experience that will continue to evolve in 2023 and beyond.”ITVX will be available in a free, ad-funded version and a premium version without ads, which will include the company’s BritBox streaming service. Pricing for that tier is expected to be announced at a later stage.A new exclusive programming event will drop on the streamer regularly, starting with the likes of a star-studded espionage drama.“ITVX’s inaugural commissions, which will be available on launch day, include hotly anticipated six-part Cold War drama A Spy Among Friends, starring Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce, provocative new teen drama Tell Me Everything, powerful period drama The Confessions of Frannie Langton, starring Karla-Simone Spence, Sophie Cookson and Patrick Martins, and Plebs: Soldiers of Rome, the feature-length special finale to the popular comedy series,” ITV said. “At least one flagship show will then launch on ITVX per week going forward. Litvinenko, starring David Tennant and Mark Bonnar, will launch on Thursday Dec. 15, and high-stakes family drama Riches, starring Deborah Ayorinde and Hugh Quarshie, will launch on Dec. 22 alongside landmark natural history documentary A Year on Planet Earth, presented by Stephen Fry. Gripping four-part thriller Without Sin, starring Vicky McClure, and adrenaline-fueled new game show Loaded in Paradise will launch on Dec. 28. Nolly, Russell T Davies’ upcoming drama on Crossroads’ Noele Gordon, will launch in early 2023.”Movies will also be a key part of the ITVX mix. It will launch with more than 250 feature films, “with a thousand films to be made available to stream each year,” the company said. “Films available at launch will include the Back to the Future trilogy, the Despicable Me trilogy, Wonder Woman and many more. The full Fast and Furious series of films will be launched in 2023.”ITV’s goal with ITVX is to attract more overall viewers for its content, the company’s managing director, media and entertainment Kevin Lygo told a TV industry event this summer. The streamer will target to provide “a world of shows, some familiar, some not familiar, live programming, news,” documentaries, films and more, Lygo said, adding some people will watch shows on the streamer when they are released, while others may catch them later when all episodes are online. With so much great TV programming available on so many platforms these days, “you have to fight ever harder” to get people to watch your channels and services, Lygo emphasized. “More people will watch” ITV programs thanks to ITVX, he vowed. “We will get more eyeballs.”
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