Ready to subscribe to yet another streaming service? UK television giant ITV has made a major move this morning by announcing the upcoming launch of its brand new streaming service, ITVX. It’s a decision seemingly made to rival streamers like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but ITVX will differ from those slightly in that it’ll combine an advertising and paid subscription model. That means viewers who don’t mind adverts can watch content for free, and those that pay for a subscription can enjoy ad-free programming plus access to extra content from BritBox and other partners. Most significantly – in a big change to the channel’s traditional method – ITV will adopt a ‘digital first’ approach, releasing content on ITVX before showing it up to nine months later on the usual broadcast channel. They’ll also embrace a more Netflix-like, binge-watch-encouraging strategy, dropping entire series of new drama, comedy and reality shows all in one go once the first episode has aired.
Some of the first shows announced to launch on the service include A Spy Among Friends starring Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce, biopic series Nolly, where Helena Bonham Carter will play Crossroads actress Noele Gordon, Lenny Henry’s six part drama The Little Birds, and Litvinenko, starring David Tennant as the poisoned former spy. The service will replace ITV Hub, so will include all of the ITV boxsets and catch-up functionality currently available on that platform, as well as much more content – and a deal with WarnerMedia International Television Distribution means ITVX will premiere some US shows too, including The Sex Lives Of College Girls and All American.
The cost of the subscription tier in ITVX is yet to be confirmed, and the service will launch later this year. Now, who’s up for binge-watching Corrie right from the very beginning?