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´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation (´óÏó´«Ã½), today unveiled an all new ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment channel, boasting a fresh new look and with highly rated factual and lifestyle programming joining award-winning drama and comedy on the channel for the first time.

The refreshed, multi-genre ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment is aimed at the upscale English-speaking Indian audience, with a schedule designed to mirror their daily routines.

Mark Whitehead, Senior Vice President & General Manager, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Channels Asia, commented, "The Indian pay TV market possesses significant scale and its future potential for advertising is vast. India has been identified as a key market for the growth of our Asian business, and we have been working to create a unique channel destination for local viewers. The all-new ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment channel has been specifically designed for the market after much local research and we are incredibly excited about its prospects."

Deepak Shourie, Director, South Asia, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Channels added, "India, with its large English-speaking population, high level of ´óÏó´«Ã½ brand recognition and strong affinity with the UK, is a significant market for us. The refreshed channel, with its unique, award-winning and top-rated programmes, targets upscale English-speaking viewers and will deliver some much-desired audience segments to advertisers in India."

Seriously Entertaining TV

Sporting the tagline Seriously Entertaining, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment features a programming line up showcasing the best of British television, including factual, lifestyle and drama and comedy programmes.

Mornings on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment are dedicated to lifestyle shows, designed to inspire ideas for home and design, fashion, and cooking. The line up includes Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey, in which the revered British chef and author goes on an epic journey to explore the region’s diverse food cultures, Rhodes Across Italy with celebrity chef, writer and restaurateur, Gary Rhodes, as well as Colin & Justin's Home Heist fronted by the flamboyant home designing duo, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan.

From late morning to early evenings, viewers will enjoy 'feel-good' entertainment programmes such as Gok's Fashion Fix with celebrity stylist Gok Wan giving tips on how to look chic without breaking the bank, Hotel Babylon, with its seductive insight into the inner workings of a five-star hotel, and Grand Designs, in which the best-selling author, TV presenter and architect, Kevin McCloud presents some of the most ambitious home design concepts.

Primetime family viewing will include an engaging mix of programmes, such as Sherlock, the critically acclaimed contemporary update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective stories, and Human Planet, an epic eight-part blockbuster from the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s famed Natural History Unit – the first to focus entirely on the human population, and filmed in some of the most remote locations in 40 countries.

After 10pm, the channel airs glossy, contemporary, fast-paced and edgy entertainment. This time slot will feature Top Gear, the world's most-watched motoring show, celebrity interviews on The Graham Norton Show, and BAFTA award-winning spy series Spooks.

The brand new ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment channel is now available on cable and DTH in India.

Harriet Otoo

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