BBC Building Up Brand in Australia

BBC Worldwide is launching a new premium BBC channel on Foxtel in Australia that will offer premiere British drama and comedy shortly after the U.K. transmissions.

The commercial-free channel, launching in mid-2014, will be part of the Foxtel Drama & Lifestyle package. It will feature first-run programming from the BBC and other British producers that won't be available elsewhere on terrestrial television for at least 12 months. Foxtel currently offers four existing BBC channels: UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News. All of these BBC channels will be available on Foxtel GO. The premiere channel will be available in HD, alongside UKTV and BBC Knowledge. In addition, the deal offers Foxtel a first-look at all BBC Worldwide Lifestyle programming. This content will also be available on Foxtel Go and on demand.

Confirmed for the launch of the channel is the ten-part drama The Musketeers. The series is Adrian Hodges' contemporary take on Alexandre Dumas's characters for his classic novel. The cast includes Luke Pasqualino as D’Artagnan, the three Musketeers Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera and Howard Charles, as well as Peter Capaldi.

http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/2013-4-17-asia-bbc-foxtel-australia