Foxtel and BBC Studios announced on Monday that they have reached an agreement on a long-term extension of their partnership securing premium British drama, entertainment, documentaries, natural history, children’s programming and news for Foxtel’s broadcast and On Demand platforms.

The deal includes the launch of a new channel, BBC Earth, which will tell the definitive stories about the world around us. This premium documentary channel will feature inspiring and passionate experts in their field, including existing landmark natural history series featuring Sir David Attenborough. This channel will replace BBC Knowledge later this year.

As part of the agreement, BBC Studios will provide thousands of additional hours of On Demand content a year, available to viewers through the New Foxtel Experience user interface.

Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany said: “This agreement provides a five-fold increase in BBC programming available on demand.”

The content agreement will see the following channels on Foxtel:

• BBC First. The go-to channel for premium British drama including On Demand access to boxsets of the BBC’s top franchises.  BBC First on Foxtel includes Australian premiere rights to Call the Midwife, Death in Paradise and Silent Witness, plus new dramas including World on Fire starring Helen Hunt and Stephen Poliakoff’s Summer of Rockets, starring Keeley Hawes.
• BBC UKTV. Watched by 1.4 million Foxtel households each month, UKTV is the home of British continuing dramas including Australian premiere episodes of EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, plus chat-shows, celebrity specials, quiz and variety shows and classic British comedy.
• BBC Earth. The new BBC channel connecting viewers with the world, through documentaries from the world’s most inspiring and passionate experts. This includes the best of Sir David Attenborough from BBC Studio’s acclaimed Natural History production unit, alongside science programming, adventure series and human stories from experts including Louis Theroux, Michael Mosley, Kate Humble and Professor Brian Cox. 
• BBC World News. Under the agreement with BBC World News, Foxtel will continue to deliver the BBC’s impartial, in-depth analysis of international news including sport, weather, business, current affairs and documentaries.

Do you have Foxtel? What programs from the BBC do you watch regularly?