BritBox International Boss Speaks For First Time Since $330M BBC Studios-ITV Deal; Says Best-Of-British Streamer Feels No “Creative Pressure” From Its New Majority Owner

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: BritBox International is operating “autonomously” and free of “creative pressure” from the BBC, according to its president, who branded the streamer “the best route to market for British TV outside of the UK.” Robert Schildhouse was speaking to Deadline for the first time since being promoted to President of BritBox North America and General Manager of BritBox International after the landmark £255M ($329M) deal that saw BBC Studios acquire ITV‘s shareholding in what was previously a JV streamer, which was followed by the exit of his predecessor Reemah Sakaan.

The deal was one of convenience, fulfilling the BBC’s desire to grow internationally while ITV sought to pump investment into new domestic streamer ITVX.

Schildhouse said BritBox, which is available in North America, Australia and Scandinavia with a library featuring Gavin & Stacey, The Sixth Commandment and a hefty Agatha Christie back catalog, has “not changed materially,” while BBC Studios bosses have stressed autonomy and a desire for BritBox to continue buying and co-producing shows with other networks.

The New York-based exec was speaking to Deadline a day after meeting with the likes of BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell at a UK away day. “The beauty of the relationship we have with the BBC is that they still want us to run the business autonomously without any creative pressure on where we source our shows from,” said Schildhouse. “While the BBC makes incredible TV shows, we are heavily invested in shows that come from non-BBC sources and that is the proposition we have made to our audiences.