BBC Worldwide And Foxtel Confirm New Premium Channel

As part of the new multi-platform deal between BBC Worldwide and Foxtel, the companies are set to launch a new premium BBC channel, making Foxtel the home of BBC TV in Australia.

The channel was created as a part of The BBC's global strategy to develop its markets outside of the UK and with the help of Foxtel the channel will offer the company a direct relationship with its Australian audiences. It is included as a part of Foxtel's Lifestyle and Drama package, set to launch in mid-2014, and is said to be free of ads, available in high definition, and running as close to the UK's transmission as possible.

It will offer first-run programming directly from The BBC and other British producers, which won't be seen on terrestrial television for at least another 12 months. Already confirmed to play on the channel is the 10-part drama series The Musketeers, a fresh and unique take on the characters originally developed by Alexandre Dumas, directed by Adrian Hodge.

The addition of this new channel will make for a total of five BBC channels run through Foxtel; already existing channels are UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies, and BBC World News, all of which are set to continue as part of the multi-platform package.