US video-on-demand platform Hulu has picked up streaming rights to UK period drama Downton Abbey as part of a content package deal with pubcaster PBS.
The show, written by Julian Fellowes, is now in its second season on PBS and available to view as part of the network’s Masterpiece Theatre online service.
However, subscribers to the Hulu Plus service can now catch up with the entire seven-episode first season. It is also streamed on Hulu’s VoD rival Netflix.
The pick-up is among 200 episodes of PBS programming acquired by Hulu this month. Other content includes documentaries by Ken Burns and PBS kids’ series including Arthur, Dinosaur Train and Wild Kratts.
Downton has found huge success in the US, most notably by winning the Golden Globe for best miniseries last month. It also scooped a haul of four Emmys last September.
The series is produced by Carnival Films, part of NBCUniversal. Worldwide rights are distributed by NBCUniversal International.
In November last year, Downton’s UK broadcaster ITV1 confirmed it will return for a third season this fall, to be set in 1920 and 1921, at the start of the Roaring Twenties.
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