Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) has bought the rights to the BBC drama Bodyguard outside the UK.
The series will conclude on BBC One on Sunday, where Netflix will then stream the drama on its platforms in all other countries excluding the UK, Ireland and China.
The program was made World Productions, an independent production company owned by ITV (LON: ITV).
ITV’s chief executive, Carolyn McCall, announced the deal at the Royal Television Society’s conference in London, where she said the rating war between Vanity Fair and Bodyguard was beneficial for making a profit.
“Vanity Fair is doing OK. It’s consolidating at around four or five million. Closer to four. And it will consolidate higher. It will build. It’s a very different kind of programme. It’s a win for TV, I think, it’s the only place you can get these massive numbers. And I keep saying, it’s on the BBC but it’s made by ITV Studios. We produced it.”
“It’s a win for us, definitely. It’s a good strategy. It’s another profit pool for us,” she added.
The first episode of Bodyguard was watched by 10.4 million viewers in the UK.
Media commentator and journalist Kate Buckley said that deals between public service broadcasters and group’s such as Netflix are likely to become more common.
“The market for programmes and series is getting increasingly competitive because we have many more players who are eager to get their hands on premium content,” she said.
“They include Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and YouTube – its important for the BBC and ITV to up their game and compete for the talent and the projects that will hopefully be hits.”
“There is now a fully commercialised production entity, which is good for the BBC because it means that they are not only producing for the BBC but for other broadcasters – the idea is that the best ideas win and if the BBC doesn’t want [to broadcast] a certain programme they can make it for someone else,” she added.