Channel 4 and The Walt Disney Company have agreed a deal that will bring Channel 4 programming to Disney+ in the UK and Ireland from early 2027. While British broadcasters have previously co-produced or licensed programmes for distribution on online video platforms, this is described as a first-of-its kind collaboration.
Disney+ customers will be able to watch the Channel 4 HD service on Disney+ through a specially branded section, together with hundreds of hours of programming through its on-demand catalogue.
The agreement includes multiple Channel 4 shows being made available on-demand each year on Disney+, at the same time as their release on Channel 4.
Building on their long-standing relationship, this deal will see Disney integrating Channel 4 programming on Disney+, extending reach for the public service broadcaster and bringing more choice to Disney+ customers.
According to Barb estimates, 8.9 million homes in the United Kingdom, just under 30%, have access to Disney+. 40% of them are on its advertising supported tier.
43% of Disney+ users are aged 18-34, a key target demographic for Channel 4, which has a third of its online audience in this age group.
Priya Dogra, the recently appointed chief executive of Channel 4, said: “This new service will help those shows reach viewers in new places. This exciting step shows how collaboration between broadcasters and streamers can create more choice and value for audiences.”
Adam Smith, the chairman of direct to consumer at Disney Entertainment, who was previously with YouTube, said: “Local broadcaster partnerships are very important as we build our content libraries and serve fans around the world.” He described it as “the latest example of our global strategy, pairing high-quality local programming and cultural relevance with a complementary audience and more personalised streaming experience on Disney+.”
Financial details of the deal, if any, were not disclosed.
The distribution deal has some similarities with the earlier agreement between TFI in France and Netflix.
Disney has also struck similar deals with ZDF in Germany and Atresmedia in Spain.
It is another sign that broadcasters may be more willing to see their programming appear on competing online video services after years of promoting their own online platforms.
The Channel 4 chief executive had previously talked about making Channel 4 programming available on the BBC iPlayer, indicating she was open to collaboration, but saying that any merger would amount to a takeover by the BBC.