Wikipedia

5Spike

This article is about the United Kingdom variant of Spike. For the channel in the United States formerly named Spike, seeParamount Network.For the Dutch version of the channel, seeSpike (Dutch TV channel).For the Australian version of the channel, seeSpike (Australian TV channel).

5Spikewas a Britishfree-to-air televisionchannel owned byViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia.Launching on 15 April 2015 onFreeviewas justSpike,it was a localised version of the American cable channelSpike(now Paramount Network), and became a multiplex channel ofChannel 5in 2017 when it renamed as 5Spike. It primarily aired entertainment programmes, including action and drama series, police documentaries, and programming from its American counterpart, as well asmixed martial arts.

5Spike
Logo used from 2017 to 2020
CountryUnited Kingdom
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom
NetworkChannel 5
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format576i16:9SDTV
Timeshiftservice5Spike +1
Ownership
OwnerChannel 5 Broadcasting Limited
History
Launched15 April 2015 (9 years ago)
Closed7 January 2020 (4 years ago)
Replaced byParamount Network
Former namesSpike (2015–2017)

On 7 January 2020, the network was discontinued, withParamount Networkassuming its channel placements and programming.

History

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FollowingViacom's acquisition ofChannel 5,it was reported that a local version of the male-skewing American channelSpikewould be launching in the United Kingdom. These reports were confirmed in late 2014, with the channel proposed to replaceVivaonFreeview.[1]The channel was operated under the auspices of Channel 5's programming director Ben Frow; of Spike's lineup, he described the service as a "driven, high-energy channel offering a point of view and program mix I think is different from anything else on British TV right now."[1]

Spike logo used from 2015-2017

Spike launched on 15 April 2015 on Freeview channel 31, displacing5USA;although it was originally announced that Spike would replace Viva entirely on Freeview, Viva was instead moved to a different channel and reduced to two hours per day to conserve bandwidth for Spike, with 5USA taking on its previous channel allotment.[2][3][4][5][6]Among its first programmes, the premiere ofPolice Interceptors Unleashedwas seen by 137,000 viewers.[7]

On 31 October 2017, Spike was rebranded as5Spiketo more closely associate itself with its sister channels and the Channel 5 brand.

A British version of Spike's successor in the US,Paramount Network,was launched on 4 July 2018.[8]On 7 January 2020, 5Spike was merged with Paramount Network.[9]

Programming

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The channel's lineup drew primarily from the original programmes produced by its U.S counterpart, includingCatch a ContractorandLip Sync Battleamong others. The channel also aired imported U.Sdramas,from modern dramas such asBreaking Bad(notably marking the first time the entire series would be broadcast by British television; only the first two seasons were shown byFoxand5 USA,with the remainder available viaNetflix),Sons of Anarchy,Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesandThe Walking Dead,to classic shows such asThe X-Files,The A-TeamandKnight Rider.Spike also carried original British productions, such asPolice Interceptors Unleashed(a spin-off of theChannel 5 series),[7]and repeats of some of Channel 5's factual programmes.[10][11]

As in the U.S,[12]mixed-martial artsalso comprised a portion of Spike's lineup, with British TV rights toBellator MMAand, under a long-term deal, exclusive rights toBAMMAevents beginning with BAMMA 20 on 25 April 2015.[13]

Original programming

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  • BAMMA
  • Car Crash TV
  • Criminals: Caught on Camera(also known asCaught on Camera)
  • Fights, Camera, Action
  • Outrageous Stunts(also known asStunt Science)
  • Police Interceptors Takedown
  • Police Interceptors Unleashed
  • Seconds From Death: Caught on Camera(also known asThe World's Deadliest...)
  • Sewermen
  • Tattoo Disasters UK
  • Trucking Hell
  • Ultimate Boxxer
  • Under Attack
  • World's Deadliest Weather: Caught on Camera(also known asThe World's Deadliest Weather)
  • World's Wildest Flights

From Spike US

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From Channel 5

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Imported

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Most watched programmes

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The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Spike, based on Live +7 data supplied byBARBup to 17 March 2019.[17]The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on 5Spike +1.

Rank Show Episode Number of Viewers Date
1 The Expendables 2 N/A 359,000 27 March 2016
2 The Guns of Navarone 343,000 20 May 2018
3 Centurion 328,000 12 February 2017
4 The Expendables 3 335,000 27 December 2017
5 327,000 26 March 2017
6 Battle of Britain N/A 311,700 27 December 2019
7 306,500 9 March 2019
8 Transporter: The Series 2.07 – Sex, Lies and Video Tapes 303,000 19 February 2016
9 Trucking Hell 1.02 – Episode Two 294,000 24 May 2018
10 Hummingbird (film) N/A 286,100 13 March 2019

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"Viacom to launch Spike TV in UK".Broadcast. 8 October 2014.Retrieved5 March2015.
  2. ^"Freeview Channel Updates: April 2015".a516digital.Retrieved10 July2015.
  3. ^"Spike launches 15 April and some channels are moving".Freeview.Retrieved10 July2015.
  4. ^"Spike TV to launch with Breaking Bad".Broadcast. 20 March 2015.Retrieved20 March2015.
  5. ^Munn, Patrick (26 March 2015)."VIMN To Launch Spike UK on April 15th; Picks Up UK Rights to Olympus, Justified, Sons & Anarchy and More".TVWise.Retrieved26 March2015.
  6. ^"Dire UTV Ireland could learn a thing or two from Spike".Herald.ie.Retrieved25 April2015.
  7. ^ab"Breaking Bad helps Spike to solid launch night".Broadcast Now.Retrieved25 April2015.
  8. ^White, Peter (8 June 2018)."Viacom To Launch Paramount Network In The UK In July With 'Suits' & 'The Mick'".Deadline.Retrieved8 June2018.
  9. ^"5Spike UK axed in alignment with US brands".rxtvlog.Archived fromthe originalon 17 December 2019.Retrieved28 December2019.
  10. ^"Spike to Launch in U.K. with 'Breaking Bad,' 'Walking Dead,' 'Sons of Anarchy'".Variety.26 March 2015.Retrieved25 April2015.
  11. ^"Spike TV: the best and worst of the new channel's brogramming".The Guardian.London. 15 April 2015.Retrieved25 April2015.
  12. ^"Mr. Friday Night Lights Out? Joe Schilling eyes PBC Bo xing in addition to Bellator and GLORY".MMAMania (SBNation).Vox Media. 10 April 2015.Retrieved25 April2015.
  13. ^"BAMMA makes deal with Spike TV in the UK".Bloody Elbow (SBNation).Vox Media. 26 March 2015.Retrieved25 April2015.
  14. ^"Exclusive: Channel 5 Won't Air Breaking Bad Season 3 in the UK".23 February 2012.
  15. ^"All five seasons of 'Breaking Bad' to air on new UK Freeview channel Spike".NME.20 March 2015.
  16. ^"Breaking Bad to get full UK TV run".BBC News.26 March 2015.
  17. ^BARB,via[1]
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