ITV’s new streaming service, ITVX, continues expanding its content library. In April, the free service will bring additions like The Real Crown – a behind-the-scenes look at Queen’s family, critically acclaimed series Crime, American shows like Mr. Robot and Parks and Recreation, a collection of hit films, and more.
And since BritBox is now a part of ITVX – Premium subscribers will also get several new April additions, including all seasons of the iconic Skins.
ITVX, which launched late last year, is a free-to-watch (with adverts) service that’s replacing the long-running ITV Hub app, and is meant to be a full-fledged streaming destination.
In addition to the on-demand content, you can also stream all of ITV’s live channels via the app, as well as several “themed” ad-supported live channels that are dedicated to a single series or theme (but not on Freeview Play devices and TVs).
ITVX is available on most of the streaming devices and Smart TVs sold in the UK (except for several older boxes and TVs), as well as on Virgin Media’s TV boxes, Sky Glass, Sky Stream – and, it was recently added to Sky Q as well.
While ITVX is a free streaming service first and foremost (with adverts), it also has an optional Premium tier that removes all the adverts – and also gives you access to most of the content from BritBox.
As we previously reported, BritBox no longer offers standalone subscriptions to new subscribers, and is instead sending people to ITVX’s Premium tier.
ITVX also announced recently that another standalone streaming service – Studio Canal Presents – would be added as a perk to ITVX Premium.
ITVX Premium costs £5.99/month or £59.99/year.
- Missed last month? Here are ITVX’s content highlights for March 2023
ITVX offers all the catch-up programmes from ITV’s linear channels. But in addition to that – these are the content highlights for April 2023:
April 1
A wide selection of iconic films will launch on the service starting today, including:
- Atonement (2007)
- The Big Lebowski (1998)
- Being John Malkovich (1999)
- Boyhood (2014)
- Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
- The Machinist (2004)
- John Carpenter’s Escape from LA (1996).
April 6
Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman
Exclusive to ITVX.
Hollywood Bulldogs tells the rough-and-tumble story of the small community of British stunt performers who went on to dominate Hollywood in the 1970s and 80s.
They created and performed the iconic action sequences of 007, Indiana Jones, Superman, Rambo, Star Wars, Conan, the Alien films and pretty much everything since.
Jonathan Ross: Must-Watch Films
Exclusive to ITVX.
The third instalment of Jonathan Ross’ monthly film recommendations will cover great films to enjoy over Easter including the likes of The Prince of Egypt, The Passion of the Christ, Laika films including Kubo and the Two Strings, Paranorman and more.
The Originals (Full Series, 2013-2018)
Every episode from all five seasons of the American fantasy TV show.
This spin-off from The Vampire Diaries follows the Mikaelson vampire siblings, Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt), as they battle to retake control of New Orleans, the city they helped to build.
After being chased out by his father, Klaus returns to proclaim himself king of the city, but in order to do so he must remove his former protege Marcel (Charles Michael Davis), who stands in his path to power.
ITVX’s April Fools’ Comedy Collection:
Fisk (TV Series, 2021)
An award-winning comedy series expected to delight viewers with its dry humour and charismatic cast of Australia’s top comedy talent including co-creator, co-writer and co-director Kitty Flanagan.
Flanagan, who took out a Silver Logie Award and AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer for her turn as the hilarious Helen Tudor-Fisk, stars alongside fellow comedians Julia Zemiro, Marty Sheargold and Aaron Chen in a series that affectionately channels the quirks of office life.
Upper Middle Bogan (TV Series, 2013-2016)
When Bess Denyar (Annie Maynard) – a doctor with a posh mother, an architect husband and twin thirteen-year-olds at a private school finds out that she is adopted, she is stunned.
But even more so when she meets her birth family: Wayne and Julie Wheeler, parents also to Amber, Kayne and Brianna, head up a drag racing team in the outer suburbs and are thrilled to discover the daughter they thought they had lost.
Kid Sister (TV Series, 2022)
Lulu, a loveable train wreck, goes on a laugh-out-loud ride as she struggles to balance her love of family and culture with finding her own path… one mistake at a time.
Starring Simone Nathan.
April 13
Waco: A British Tragedy (Documentary)
Exclusive to ITVX.
Using unseen archives and exclusive interviews, this two-part documentary series will explore the untold story of the sizeable British contingent of David Koresh’s Branch Davidian cult, and their experiences during the 51 day ordeal at Waco and its storming by the FBI in 1993.
Parks and Recreation (Full Series, 2009-2013)
Join small-town civil servant Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) for every awkward strategy meeting, kooky idea and delicious bite of waffle as she strives to make City Hall a better place.
By her side are her beloved,if quirky, colleagues: the deadpan Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) – and his moustache -, apathetic April (Aubrey Plaza), rockstar-in-his-own-mind Andy (Chris Pratt), trendsetter Tom (Aziz Ansari), best friend Ann (Rashida Jones), smart-mouthed Donna (Retta), loyal Ben (Adam Scott) and the always energetic Chris (Rob Lowe). Oh, and Jerry (Jim O’Heir)… or is it ‘Larry’?
April 20
The Real Crown
Exclusive to ITVX.
The behind-the-scenes story of the world’s most famous family is told through the perspective of the major personal challenges that faced the Queen and the monarchy throughout her reign.
Rare archive footage is set against revealing new interviews with key figures – some of whom have never previously spoken on camera – to compelling effect as viewers see the images played out to the world during historic moments, while hearing the inside story offering insight into The Queen’s perspective at the time.
Mr Robot (Full Series, 2016-2019)
Enter the captivating world of Mr. Robot, following Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a young computer programmer turned vigilante hacker.
Elliot suffers from social anxiety, and hacking people is his primary means of human connection. Disillusioned with modern society, Elliot’s world suddenly changes when he meets Mr. Robot (Christian Slater),the mysterious leader of an underground hacktivist group that wants to recruit Elliot to help take down the “one percent” and trigger a worldwide revolution.
Days of Thunder (1990)
From the engine roar and fever pitch of professional stock car racing, Days of Thunder explodes with the most spectacular racing action ever captured on film.
Tom Cruise plays race car driver Cole Trickle, whose talent and ambition are surpassed only by his burning need to win. Discovered by businessman Tim Daland (Randy Quaid), Cole is teamed with legendary crew chief and car-builder Harry Hogge (Academy Award-winner Robert Duvall) to race for the Winston Cup at the Daytona 500.
A fiery crash nearly ends Cole’s career and he must turn to a beautiful doctor (Nicole Kidman) to regain his nerve and the true courage needed to race, to win and to live.
April 27
Crime (Season 1, 2022)
Exclusive to ITVX.
Crime is the highly acclaimed original crime thriller adapted from the best-selling novel by Irvine Welsh.
Set in Edinburgh, the six-episode series stars BAFTA and International Emmy award-winning Dougray Scott as Detective Inspector Ray Lennox, who is investigating the disappearance of a schoolgirl while battling his own personal demons.
The series also stars Joanna Vanderham as DS Amanda Drummond, Angela Griffin as Trudi Lowe, Ken Stott as Chief Superintendent Bob Toal and Jamie Sives as Detective Inspector Dougie Gillman.
A second season has been recommissioned for ITVX.
Les Misérables (2012)
Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year.
Helmed by The King’s Speech’s Academy Award-winning director, Tom Hooper, the production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne.
Catch-up Programmes From ITV1 (Exact dates to be announced)
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
The series was a BritBox original, therefore it’s currently available on ITVX Premium. But in April it will air on ITV1, and subsequently become available on ITVX’s free tier.
Based on her 1934 novel, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? opens with a fine Agatha Christie enigma: a man lies dying at the foot of a cliff, apparently the victim of an accidental fall; with his final breath, he utters the mysterious question of the title and promptly expires.
Some people – perhaps most people – might shrug at the impenetrable oddness of the words and move on with their lives. But Bobby Jones and his childhood friend, Lady Frances “Frankie” Derwent, are not most people.
They resolve to honour the dead man by deciphering, and then answering, his final question. In so doing, they hit upon a dark conspiracy of deceit, betrayal and – perhaps unsurprisingly – murder.
The cast features Will Poulter (The Revenant, Detroit, Dopesick) as Bobby Jones and Lucy Boynton (Sing Street, Murder On The Orient Express, Bohemian Rhapsody) as Frankie Derwent.
The Hunt for Raoul Moat
The Hunt For Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies that lay behind Britain’s biggest manhunt, told through the eyes of those who sought to bring a violent killer to justice.
The drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes – Christopher Brown, Samantha Stobbart and PC David Rathband; the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend Moat; and the local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story in a landscape of sensationalist reporting and social media provocation.
Malpractice
Dr Lucinda Edwards (Niamh Algar) is a smart, battle-hardened doctor, but we meet her on a nightmare shift that ends in the death of an opioid overdose victim, Edith Owusu.
Despite the support of her medical supervisor, Dr Leo Harris, played by James Purefoy (A Discovery of Witches, Pennyworth, Sex Education), Edith’s grieving father Sir Anthony Owusu, played by Brian Bovell (Crime, Strike), demands an enquiry into Lucinda’s actions on the fateful night.
Leading the medical investigation are Dr Norma Callahan played by Helen Behan (Holding, The Virtues) and Lucinda’s former colleague, Dr George Adjei, played by Jordan Kouamé (Megalomania). While George feels this was an unavoidable tragedy, Norma is suspicious of Lucinda’s behaviour and decisions in the lead up to Edith’s death.
Coming To BritBox in April 2023
BritBox UK will be streaming The Fades (2011), a British supernatural series starring Tom Ellis, Danial Kaluuya and Natalie Dormer from April 6.
All seasons of the iconic Skins, starring Nicholas Hoult, Dev Patel, Kaya Scodelario and more will follow on April 13.
The dark and mesmerising Taboo (2017), starring Tom Hardy and Jonathan Pryce will also be available to stream from April 13.