Amazon Confirms BritBox’s Last Day On Prime Video

After weeks of confusion and speculation surrounding the fate of BritBox UK on Prime Video Channels, Amazon has finally provided us with a clear answer.

Effective April 27, 2024, BritBox will no longer be available on Prime Video Channels, even for existing subscribers – drawing a line under the service’s availability on one of the UK’s leading streaming platforms.

For those catching up, BritBox UK’s journey from a standalone streaming service to its eventual merger with ITVX has been fraught with uncertainties, especially concerning its status on Prime Video Channels, where the service was unexpectedly blocked for new subscriptions last week.

This latest update from Amazon clarifies the situation for existing subscribers and outlines the next steps for current subscribers, and those wishing to continue enjoying British television content (see full details below).

BritBox UK: The Story So Far

Launched in 2019, BritBox UK was the brainchild of the BBC and ITV, designed to be the definitive source for “the best of British” television. 

With a subscription cost of £5.99 per month or £59.99 annually, BritBox offered subscribers an extensive library of classic British shows from ITV, the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5, alongside new and exclusive content.

BritBox aimed to carve out a niche in the competitive streaming market, going head-to-head with giants like Netflix and Sky’s NOW.

However, the digital landscape began to shift with the introduction of ITVX in December 2022, a move that signalled a new chapter for ITV’s streaming services.

BritBox’s Integration into ITVX

ITVX emerged as a comprehensive platform offering both free, ad-supported content and a premium, ad-free tier, effectively replacing the ITV Hub.

This transition was part of ITV’s strategy to streamline its digital offerings and provide a single destination for a wide range of British content.

At the same price of £5.99/month, ITVX Premium not only removes the adverts – but also includes the content previously exclusive to BritBox (while also adding content from Studio Canal Presents).

As BritBox’s content was folded into ITVX’s Premium tier, the demise of BritBox’s standalone service came in stages. First, new subscriptions were blocked, and interested viewers were pushed towards ITVX Premium.

However, existing subscribers had the option to maintain their BritBox subscription by continuously renewing it, allowing them to keep watching content through the dedicated BritBox app/website.

Then, as we reported last month, it was announced that BritBox’s standalone version will be discontinued on April 30, 2024.

At that point, existing subscribers will be ported to ITVX. But the question remained – what about BritBox on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels?

BritBox on Prime Video Channels

Until recently, BritBox UK was also available through Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, a service allowing Amazon Prime members to add a variety of premium and niche channels to their Prime Video subscription.

This arrangement offered a convenient way for viewers to access BritBox’s library via the Prime Video app, which is available on most streaming devices in the UK.

This was a lifeline for some users with old devices (such as certain Samsung Smart TVs) that do not support ITVX – but do support the Prime Video app.

But, just like the standalone version of BritBox – ITV announced that the Prime Video Channels version of BritBox is also going away.

However, in an unexpected turn of events, BritBox was prematurely removed from Prime Video Channels last week (as we were first to report), leading to confusion and concern among subscribers.

This early exit was ahead of the previously anticipated timeline, leaving fans of British television scrambling.

However, while new subscribers can no longer join BritBox on Prime Video – the service still works for existing subscribers, as an ITV spokesperson assured us. But for how long? That wasn’t clear – until now.

Final End Date for BritBox On Prime Video

This week, Amazon officially informed Cord Busters that BritBox UK will cease to be available on Prime Video Channels from April 27, 2024.

This date marks the service’s definitive end on the platform, aligning with the scheduled discontinuation of the standalone BritBox service and its final integration into ITV’s ITVX (on April 30).

From that point on, existing subscribers will not be able to watch anything on BritBox via Prime Video.

Amazon has outlined specific measures to ensure a smooth transition for current subscribers.

If a customer’s subscription remains active by the closure date, it will automatically terminate on April 27.

Importantly, Amazon has committed to issuing refunds for any remaining service from the last billing cycle on that date.

These refunds will be processed automatically to the subscription’s payment method, eliminating the need for subscribers to take any action to recover their last payment.

Subscribers wishing to cancel their subscription prior to the closure date can do so through Amazon’s website.

It’s also important to remember that those with a direct BritBox subscription will be automatically migrated to an ITVX Premium account.

However, subscribers who accessed BritBox through Prime Video Channels and wish to keep watching will need to independently sign up for ITVX Premium, as there is no direct migration path from Prime Video to ITVX.

It’s also worth mentioning that BritBox International is a separate service, and it continues to operate in the US and several other countries, offering a selection of British television to viewers outside the UK. 

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