The BritBox saga continues: In a surprising twist that has left British TV fans reeling, Prime Video has abruptly removed BritBox UK from its Prime Video Channels lineup, well ahead of the previously announced timeline.
This unexpected move over the weekend has potentially disrupted the streaming plans of new subscribers, who were anticipating a smoother transition to ITV’s ITVX platform later in 2024.
Now, attempts to sign up for BritBox on Prime Video Channels are met with an error message, leaving fans of British television in a lurch – unless they’re willing to move to ITVX Premium.
However, that presents another problem – as some users with older devices can’t use ITVX, and have been using BritBox on Prime Video as a workaround.
An ITV spokesperson told us that Amazon made these changes in anticipation of the upcoming closure – see below for more details.
The Rise and Transition of BritBox UK
BritBox UK embarked on its journey in 2019, born from a collaboration between the BBC and ITV.
The service was conceived as a bastion of British television, offering subscribers access to a vast array of classic series from ITV, the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5, alongside fresh, exclusive content.
With a subscription cost of £5.99 per month or £59.99 annually, BritBox aimed to carve out a niche in the competitive streaming landscape, populated by giants such as Netflix and Disney+.
However, the streaming market’s dynamics began to shift with the introduction of ITVX in December 2022.
ITVX, replacing ITV Hub, emerged as a more comprehensive platform, offering both free, ad-supported content and a premium, ad-free tier at the same price point as BritBox.
This transition aimed to simplify access to British content, making ITVX the singular destination for ITV’s library, including the content previously exclusive to BritBox (while also adding content from Studio Canal Presents for Premium subscribers).
Simultaneously, the landscape for BritBox International took a different turn. While BritBox UK was being integrated into ITVX, ITV sold its stake in BritBox International to the BBC.
BritBox International continues to operate in the US and several other countries, offering a selection of British television to viewers outside the UK.
The End Of The Road For BritBox UK
As we recently reported, BritBox UK is closing its standalone service on April 30, 2024, and the standalone service (along with its apps and website) will no longer be available – even to existing subscribers, who will be switched over to ITVX Premium, where the BritBox library will continue to reside.
However, BritBox also had an Amazon Prime Video channel, and its fate was initially unclear.
Prime Video Channels are an add-on subscription service available to Amazon Prime members, allowing them to customize their viewing experience by adding a variety of premium and niche channels to their existing Prime Video subscription, with a single bill from Amazon.
Just a few days ago, we were told by ITV that the Prime Video Channels version of BritBox will only be removed sometime in the second quarter of 2024 (so not before April).
But then, over the recent weekend, users were surprised to discover that the BritBox channel on Prime Video was removed ahead of the scheduled timeline.
This early departure from Prime Video Channels left viewers facing an error message that “BritBox is unavailable in your region,” effectively cutting off new sign-ups and access to certain shows.
While some content previously available through the BritBox channel is no longer available to stream at all (on Prime Video), other shows have been relegated to being available for purchase individually on the service.
The Impact on BritBox Subscribers with Older Devices
The premature removal of BritBox from Prime Video Channels exacerbates an already pressing issue for subscribers using older devices.
As ITV upgraded its streaming service to the more advanced and content-rich ITVX, a significant number of older devices lost compatibility with ITV’s streaming technology.
This shift rendered the service inaccessible on certain older models of Smart TVs, set-top boxes, and other streaming devices.
Notably, some Humax Freeview and Freesat boxes, along with specific models of Samsung Smart TVs, Panasonic Smart TVs, and others, were unable to support the new ITVX app.
Similarly, ITVX also doesn’t work on some older iPhones and iPads.
Therefore, for people who could no longer use ITVX on their device, BritBox on Prime Video Channels had served as a lifeline, offering a way to access ITV’s content without the need for the ITVX app.
That’s because the Prime Video app is more widely compatible – though again, not for all. The older Humax devices, for example, do not support Prime Video either.
With BritBox now removed from Prime Video Channels, this workaround will no longer be available, exacerbating the issue for those affected.
Grace Period For Existing BritBox Subscribers
This unexpected removal has sparked confusion among subscribers, as the lack of clear communication regarding the change has left many wondering about the fate of their current subscriptions.
In December, ITV also discontinued its ITV Catchup service on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels. Existing subscribers were able to use it until their monthly subscription expired, at which point it was automatically cancelled.
ITV’s Response
An ITV spokesperson told Cord Busters that Amazon has indeed removed the ‘Subscribe’ option from BritBox on Prime Video, ahead of the upcoming closure.
However, existing subscribers will continue to have access to the service until its final closure.
Later this week, Amazon will communicate with existing subscribers regarding channel closure and a closure date.
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