ITV Choice to launch in Africa

ITV’s Asian and Middle Eastern entertainment network ITV Choice is to launch across Africa for the first time, following a deal between ITV Studios Global Entertainment and African pay TV operator MultiChoice.

The commercial channel will launch exclusively on MultiChoice’s satellite service DStv and will house a wide selection of British entertainment and drama, going live on May 5.

Entertainment highlights include ITV Studios’ primetime series Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, plus family entertainment shows Big Star’s Little Star, from 12 Yard, and Keep It In the Family, from ITV Studios and Over The Top Productions.

On the drama front, launch titles include Poldark, the BBC period drama adaptation of the classic novels, produced by Mammoth Screen, and Arthur & George, Buffalo Pictures’ adaptation of Julian Barnes’ novel about the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

All programming will air very close to UK transmission dates, with the soap operas airing within 48 hours of their UK showing.

ITV Choice will be exclusively available to DStv Premium customers on DStv channel 123, across the African continent. The launch means ITV Choice will now be available in more than 100 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Nic van Zwanenberg, channel director of ITV Choice, said: “Viewers across the continent will join 11 million households in over 40 countries and territories in the Middle East and Asia who already enjoy the best British entertainment and drama within days of it airing in the UK.

“This is a key element of our strategy to build the ITV Choice footprint, and we look forward to announcing further expansion in due course.”

In March 2013, ITV Granada changed its name to ITV Choice as part of a company-wide rebrand. The channel was launched in the Middle East in 2008 as Granada TV and changed to ITV Granada in 2010.