BBC Studios and SABC announce the launch of BBC Primetime

22 Mar 2024

BBC Studios and South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have announced the May launch of BBC Primetime, a brand-new content block for S3, featuring a hand-picked selection of award-winning dramas, factual entertainment and documentaries from BBC Studios’ award-winning catalogue.

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BBC Primetime will be available to watch weeknights between 21:00 and 23:00 on S3 and on SABC+ from May 2024 and is BBC Studios’ widest reaching branded service in EMEA.

BBC Primetime has been hand-crafted by BBC Studios, offering S3 viewers access to globally recognised content Monday-Friday. The content block will include a range of shows including psychological crime thriller starring Idris Elba, Luther, intense medical drama, Critical, gripping factual motoring show, Top Gear (season 14-17), and romantic comedy, Cheaters. Documentary series, Louis Theroux: Forbidden America, exploring three controversial corners of American entertainment and culture, will also be available to watch from launch.

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Pierre Cloete, the Commercial Director at BBC Studios in Africa says “I am so excited to launch our first BBC branded block in Africa with SABC. BBC Primetime will be hand-picked for S3 audiences, packed with a selection of incredible programming from our award-winning catalogue. From intense thrillers, crime dramas and inspiring documentaries, this marks our first block for free to air audiences in South Africa, giving 13 million homes access to BBC Studios’ shows. I can’t wait for the 2024 launch.”

Sane Zondi, programming manager at SABC says “This partnership with BBC Studios is born out of the need for us to fulfil our commitment in delivering high quality international content to our viewers. We are excited to have access to a vast catalogue from the BBC, and the unlimited world-class entertainment our viewers will be able to enjoy through BBC Primetime on S3.

The deal allows us to bring back some of the iconic BBC titles to our viewers which formed weekly habitual viewing, with Top Gear being the most notable one. I know our viewers will be delighted for the return to their screens and I know it will form their weekly engagements with us. There is a range of new content which we are keen for our audiences watch. We look forward to seeing some of the sentiments and reactions across our social media platforms on this great new era on our channel.”