BBC iPlayer and ITV Player to launch on Sky

The BBC’s iPlayer and ITV Player will be added to Sky’s Anytime+ service later this year, offering Sky customers access to the two services’ seven day catch up window.

Select archive programmes from ITV’s back catalogue, including series such as Cold Feet and Prime Suspect, will be made available from tomorrow (31 Jan).

This is the first time content from terrestrial channels will be made available on the service, which comes free as part of the basic Sky HD package.

Previously, iPlayer has been available on a number of platforms, including Virgin Media, BT Vision, FreeSat and Freeview, and the BBC described this agreement as one that “completes a picture” for the VoD service.

Meanwhile, ITV inked deals earlier this month with both LoveFilm and Netflix.

BBC director general Mark Thompson said: “Having the BBC and Sky work together to further build on the BBC iPlayer success story can only be fantastic news for audiences.

“Making BBC iPlayer available on all platforms is key to our commitment to universal access and this agreement takes us one step further towards that goal. I’m delighted to take this first step on a story of innovation for both organisations.”

ITV’s chief executive Adam Crozier added: “A key part of our transformation plan is creating new revenue streams, and we see increasing consumer adoption of on demand TV as a terrific opportunity to help achieve that goal.

“Getting great ITV content - both catch up and archive - distributed across a wide range of platforms will allow us to increase viewing levels and help build pay revenues. 

“Sky is extending the reach of Sky Anytime+ to millions of additional homes and ITV is delighted to be adding a range of our best loved programmes to the service and look forward to adding access to ITV catch up content from the ITV Player later in the year.” 

Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch said: “Sky Anytime+ will go from strength to strength in 2012 and we are delighted that the addition of BBC iPlayer will allow Sky customers to enjoy the best of the BBC whenever they want.

“The addition of on demand content from ITV will give Sky customers even more choice of high quality content.”

This story was first published by Broadcast.