A month of British cheer is coming to the U.S. market, thanks to BBC and ITV-backed subscription streaming service Britbox.
Starting Dec. 1, American viewers will have access to 31 days of British specials, live broadcasts and original shows about food, theater, lights, carols, family, literature, travel, gifts/shopping, Father Christmas, Christmas crackers, games and traditions.
In addition to a over a dozen formats being streamed as part of “Britmas”, BritBox today also announced two new originals — “Slow TV” special “The Lights Before Christmas: Luminous London” and “Click & Collect”, starring Emmy-nominated Stephen Merchant.
Joining Merchant in headlining the month-long slate are Mary Berry, Kenneth Branagh, Hugh Bonneville, Patrick Stewart, Rowan Atkinson and John Cleese, among others. Many of the series and specials will premiere exclusively in the US. Viewers in America can watch for $6.99 on BritBox’s own site, Roku, Apple and android and iOS devices.
“TV watching on Christmas Day is a huge event in the U.K., where families are encouraged by the shutdown of public transportation, businesses, and general indolence of a huge meal to crash on the couch and watch hours of holiday specials,” said BritBox president Soumya Sriraman. “By bringing many of those very same Christmas specials, the Queen’s Christmas day message, and other popular holiday programming to U.S. viewers as part of our Britmas celebration, we are inviting our subscribers to get cozy and share in the very same joys that viewers across the pond get to indulge in.”