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BBC Prime

Broadcast on: Defunct
Active from: 04 Mar 1999
Active until: 31 Aug 2008

About

BBC Prime is a defunct South African television channel broadcast exclusively on MultiChoice Africa's DStv platform which offered the best of BBC programming, a mixture of period and contemporary drama, comedy, documentary, music and children's programming.

AVAILABILITY

DStv: Channel 120
Bouquet: Premium

PICTURE FORMAT

576i (SDTV, 16:9)

ABOUT

BBC Prime was first launched across Europe in 1995 and made its debut in sub-Saharan Africa on DStv on 4 March, 1999.

BBC Prime was broadcast to millions of subscribers in Africa on DStv, and further millions in Europe and the Middle East. It offered the best of BBC programming from comedy and drama to films and documentaries.

Over 2500 hours of new programming were transmitted each year, including Parkinson, Top of the Pops, EastEnders and The Weakest Link. Some of the top talent was represented on these shows including Michael Parkinson, Ruby Wax, Anne Robinson and Michael Palin.

This flagship British cable channel showed the best of the award-winning programmes from the BBC.

On 1 September, 2008, BBC Prime was replaced by BBC Entertainment, which was one of four BBC-branded themed channels that replaced BBC Prime and BBC Food (the others being BBC Lifestyle, BBC Knowledge and CBeebies).


Latest Updated Shows

Silent Witness

Genre: Drama, Police Procedural
Channel: BBC Prime, BBC Entertainment, BBC First, SABC3
Summary: Drama based on a real life forensic pathologist which focuses on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes.
Starring: Amanda Burton, William Armstrong, William Gaminara


Top Gear

Genre: Magazine, Science/Technology
Channel: BBC Knowledge, BBC Prime, SABC3, BBC Entertainment
Summary: Motoring show featuring a variety of segments including reviews and the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car", in which celebrities drive timed laps.
Starring: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, Jason Dawe


Latest Articles

Goodbye BBC Prime. Hello BBC Entertainment

11 Jun 2008 | Written by: TVSA Team | From: News | 3 comments
In the coming months various new channels will launch across DStv, most notably: BBC Prime and BBC Food will disappear to be replaced with double the viewing.


Hired! The Apprentice UK on BBC Prime

19 May 2008 | Written by: Tashi | From: Tashi's TV | 18 comments
Coming in June: the Brits do The Apprentice on BBC Prime. The show stars UK multi-billionaire Alan Sugar, alongside 14 interview-hopefuls.


Life on Mars time travels to BBC Prime

09 May 2008 | Written by: TVSA Team | From: News | 2 comments
BBC Prime's announced that the channel's getting with times with the launch of the award winning series Life on Mars. It premieres on Tuesday, in 1973.



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