International Netflix deals for BBC Worldwide

Netflix has acquired several of BBC Worldwide’s top titles for its new international services, TBI has learned.

The US-listed streaming service recently launched in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland, giving it access to over 60 million more international homes.

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the UK public broadcaster, has sold series into France, Germany and Belgium.

Netflix has picked up Doctor Who and Sherlock for France and Germany.

Both series already air on traditional TV channels in the territories. Doctor Who is on pubcaster France Televisions’ France 4 and pay TV channel Fox in Germany. France 4 also has Sherlock. ARD channel Das Erste show Sherlock in Germany.

Outside of scripted, Netflix has also acquired motoring magazine show Top Gear for its new French and German services.

In linear TV, Kabel 1, DMAX and Motorvision have all shown Top Gear in Germany, while Discovery and RMC Decouverte have it in France.

Doctor Who, Sherlock and Top Gear have also been bought by Netflix for Belgium and the streaming service has also picked up big-ticket dramas Musketeers and Atlantis for the Belgian service.

All of the British drama series air on BBC One in the UK. Top Gear, which Worldwide has sold successfully as a finished show and a format, is a long-running show on BBC Two.