BBC Studios Sets Content Deal With China’s Xigua Video

By Patrick Frater

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – BBC Studios, the content arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation, said that it has struck a multi-genre partnership with Xigua Video. The company is a unit of fast-growing Chinese tech firm Bytedance, and in the same group as global social video phenomenon TikTok.

The deal is headlined by inclusion of two new BBC documentaries “Hubble: The Wonders of Space Revealed” (1×100 mins) and “Primates” (3×50 mins), will be available exclusively on both Xigua Video and Toutiao, another popular ByteDance content platform in China.

The agreement also includes: BBC Studios’ popular documentaries “Blue Planet,” “Planet Earth” and “Frozen Planet”; popular children’s programs “Bluey” and “Hey Duggee” series 1&2, and the drama series “Orphan Black.”

The partnership followed the successful launch of “Dracula” which premiered on Xigua Video in mainland China in January. “We will also be adapting short-form content to meet the needs of users and the platform,” said Phil Hardman, BBC Studio’s acting GM for Greater China.

“Hubble” is set to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope and will air of the BBC from Friday. It is a BBC Studios production for BBC and Discovery, co-produced with Xigua Video for the program in China.

“Primates” vividly depicts the charismatic lineage that human beings belong to. The series is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production for BBC and PBS with Thirteen Productions, co-produced by Xigua Video for the series in China.

“We are committed to providing our users with a variety of contents and the best viewing experience possible,” said Lili Qian, GM of the content cooperation center at Xigua Video.