Picture format 576i (16:9 SDTV) Country United Kingdom Motto Live it like Spike | Slogan Live it like Spike Founded 2015 | |
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Launched 15 April 2015 (2015-04-15) Owned by Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd
(Viacom International Media Networks Europe) Audience share 0.29% (September 2015 (2015-09), BARB) Profiles | ||
Spike UK is a British digital television channel owned by Viacom International Media Networks Europe. Launching on 15 April 2015 on Freeview, it is a localised version of the American channel of the same name, and primarily airs entertainment programming geared towards a male audience, including import dramas, programming from its U.S. counterpart, and mixed martial arts.
Contents
History
Following Viacom's acquisition of Channel 5, it was reported that a local version of the male skewing U.S. channel Spike would be launching in the United Kingdom. These reports were confirmed in late 2014, with the channel proposed to replace Viva on Freeview. The channel is operated under the auspices of Channel 5's programming director Ben Frow; of Spike's lineup, he described the service as a "driven, high-energy channel offering a point of view and programme mix I think is different from anything else on British TV right now."
Spike launched on 15 April 2015 on Freeview channel 31, displacing 5 USA; although it was originally announced that Spike would replace Viva entirely on Freeview, Viva was instead moved to a different channel and reduced to two hours per-day to conserve bandwidth for Spike, with 5 USA taking on its previous channel allotment. Among its first programs, the premiere of Police Interceptors Unleashed was seen by 137,000 viewers.
Programming
The channel's lineup draws primarily from the original programmes produced by its U.S. counterpart, including Bar Rescue, Catch a Contractor, and Lip Sync Battle among others, along with imported U.S. dramas such as Breaking Bad (notably marking the first time the entire series would be broadcast by British television; only the first two seasons were shown by Fox and 5 USA, with the remainder available via Netflix), Sons of Anarchy, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and The Walking Dead. Spike also carries original British productions, such as Police Interceptors Unleashed—a spin-off of the Channel 5 series hosted by footballer Vinnie Jones, and repeats of some of Channel 5's factual programmes.
As in the U.S., mixed-martial arts also comprises a portion of Spike's lineup, with British TV rights to Bellator MMA, and under a new long-term deal, exclusive rights to BAMMA events beginning with BAMMA 20 on 25 April 2015.
Original
From Spike U.S.
From Channel 5
Imported
Most watched programmes
The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Spike, based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB up to 29 July 2016. The number of viewers does not include repeats.