5Spike

5Spike

5Spike

British digital television channel


5Spike was a British free-to-air television channel owned by ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia. Launching on 15 April 2015 on Freeview as just Spike, it was a localised version of the American cable channel Spike (now Paramount Network), and became a multiplex channel of Channel 5 in 2017 when it renamed as 5Spike. It primarily aired entertainment programmes, including action and drama series, police documentaries, and programming from its U.S. counterpart, as well as mixed martial arts.

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On 7 January 2020, the network was discontinued, with Paramount Network assuming its channel placements and programming.

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.[1] The channel was 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 program mix I think is different from anything else on British TV right now."[1]

Spike logo used from 2015-2017

Spike launched on 15 April 2015 on Freeview channel 31, displacing 5USA; 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 5USA taking on its previous channel allotment.[2][3][4][5][6] Among its first programmes, the premiere of Police Interceptors Unleashed was seen by 137,000 viewers.[7]

On 31 October 2017, Spike was rebranded as 5Spike to more closely associate itself with its sister channels and the Channel 5 brand.

A British version of Spike's successor in the US, Paramount Network, was launched on 4 July 2018.[8] On 7 January 2020, 5Spike was merged with Paramount Network.[9]

Programming

The channel's lineup drew primarily from the original programmes produced by its U.S counterpart, including Catch a Contractor and Lip Sync Battle among others. The channel also aired imported U.S dramas, from modern 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, to classic shows such as The X-Files, The A-Team and Knight Rider. Spike also carried original British productions, such as Police Interceptors Unleashed (a spin-off of the Channel 5 series),[7] and repeats of some of Channel 5's factual programmes.[10][11]

As in the U.S,[12] mixed-martial arts also comprised a portion of Spike's lineup, with British TV rights to Bellator MMA and, under a long-term deal, exclusive rights to BAMMA events beginning with BAMMA 20 on 25 April 2015.[13]

Original programming

  • BAMMA
  • Car Crash TV
  • Criminals: Caught on Camera (also known as Caught on Camera)
  • Fights, Camera, Action
  • Outrageous Stunts (also known as Stunt Science)
  • Police Interceptors Takedown
  • Police Interceptors Unleashed
  • Seconds From Death: Caught on Camera (also known as The World's Deadliest...)
  • Sewermen
  • Tattoo Disasters UK
  • Trucking Hell
  • Ultimate Boxxer
  • Under Attack
  • World's Deadliest Weather: Caught on Camera (also known as The World's Deadliest Weather)
  • World's Wildest Flights

From Spike US

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 17 March 2019.[17] The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on 5Spike +1.

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See also


References

  1. "Viacom to launch Spike TV in UK". Broadcast. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  2. "Freeview Channel Updates: April 2015". a516digital. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  3. "Spike TV to launch with Breaking Bad". Broadcast. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  4. "Breaking Bad helps Spike to solid launch night". Broadcast Now. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  5. White, Peter (8 June 2018). "Viacom To Launch Paramount Network In The UK In July With 'Suits' & 'The Mick'". Deadline. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  6. "5Spike UK axed in alignment with US brands". rxtvlog. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  7. "Mr. Friday Night Lights Out? Joe Schilling eyes PBC Boxing in addition to Bellator and GLORY". MMAMania (SBNation). Vox Media. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  8. "BAMMA makes deal with Spike TV in the UK". Bloody Elbow (SBNation). Vox Media. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  9. BARB, via

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