BBC Worldwide and U.K.-based broadcaster ITV are teaming on BritBox, an ad-free SVOD service focused on British TV that will debut in the U.S. sometime in Q1 2017.

AMC Networks, which has a J.V. with BBC Worldwide for cable net BBC America, is on board as an investor in BritBox with a non-voting minority interest. BBC Worldwide and ITV have an equal majority stake in the BritBox venture.

BritBox, which carries the tagline “Indulge your inner Brit,” will feature classic and newer British TV series, including New Blood, Tutankhamun, The Moonstone,In The Dark,Cold Feet Silent Witness, Pride and Prejudice, and Fawlty Towers. The service’s “Now” category will also include soaps and series that will be available as rapidly as 24 hours after their U.K. broadcast debut, including titles such as Eastenders,Emmerdale and Holby City.

Pricing for BritBox has not been announced, but, at launch, the service will be offered on iOS and Android mobile devices, Web browsers, Roku players and Roku TVs, Apple TV devices, and optimized for the Google Chromecast streaming adapter.

“The BBC and ITV are the two most prolific content producers and broadcasters in British television – both known for their unrivaled, ground-breaking shows,” said Ann Sarnoff, President, BBC Worldwide North America. “BritBox will offer a streaming experience like no other, with thousands of hours of programs across a wide variety of genres – some of which will be available right after their UK broadcast.  This will be a must-have service for lovers of British television,” Ann Sarnoff, president of BBC Worldwide North America, said in a statement.

“ITV is now a global production and distribution business and this marks the first step in our international ambitions for BritBox.” Added Simon Pitts, ITV’s managing director of online, pay TV and interactive.

“We are delighted to expand our current partnership with BBC Worldwide and view this investment as a strategic opportunity for AMC Networks to participate in a digital platform dedicated to offering shows of the highest quality,” said Josh Sapan, president and CEO of AMC Networks 

For the past 11 years, United Kingdom expatriates in this country and other fans have been able to keep up with the popular BBC soap EastEnders via a $9.95 monthly pay-per-view offering on Dish Network. 

That lifeline to the goings-on around the fictional Albert Square in London's East End has been cut off, at least for now, as Dish and the BBC have discontinued the PPV offer. The cut-off apparently took effect on Sunday, when four half-hour episodes normally would have been available, according to Larry Jaffee, who publishes a U.S.-based fan newspaper about the show, called The Walford Gazette.

Dish and BBC Worldwide said in statements that “The EastEnders TV series is temporarily unavailable as a new distribution model is being finalized by Dish and BBC Worldwide. We regret any inconvenience and remain committed to promptly returning this content to our customers.” Neither Dish nor BBC Worldwide would elaborate on the statement. Dish now operates a streaming pay-TV service called Sling TV.

The discontinuation, even if only temporary, has caused a bit of a stir among fans of the show, including Bobbie A. Camp, who said in a Twitter exchange with the @Dish_Answers account, "EastEnders has been on PPV since 2004 through Dish, and to just cancel it without a word to viewers -- tsk, tsk."

The show does air on public television stations around the country, but those episodes are nearly a decade old. Interest in the show spiked this past February with stunt programming around the 30th anniversary, including a week of live telecasts.

AMC Networks, about a year after spending $1 billion to crack the European market with its acquisition of Chellomedia, said it will shell out $200 million for a 49.9% interest in BBC America and enter into a partnership with the network’s parent, BBC Worldwide.

As part of the agreement BBC Worldwide will retain 50.1% in the channel. AMC Networks will have operational control of BBC America, including affiliate and advertising sales, maintain  consistently with BBC’s editorial standards and policies and consolidate the results of the joint venture in its financial statements, the companies said.

AMC Networks had been rumored to be in negotiations with BBC America for months. Speculation that the two were in talks first surfaced in July, with AMC expected to take a less than 50% stake, allowing BBC Worldwide (the commercial arm of U.K. government owned British Broadcasting Corp.) to keep majority ownership of the channel while offloading some advertising sales and marketing functions to AMC.

This is AMC’s second international acquisition since it announced its plan to acquire Chellomedia last October from Liberty Global for about $1 billion. The international channels were renamed AMC Networks International in July.

BBC America is the home of hits like Doctor Who,Orphan Black, Luther and Broadchurch and is available in about 80 million homes in the U.S. AMC Networks is the parent of cable channels AMC, IFC, WeTV, Sundance TV and AMC International and is the television home to such shows as The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Portlandia. AMC’s Oct. 12 premiere of the fifth season of The Walking Deadwas viewed by 17.3 million people, the largest audience in cable TV history for a drama series episode. After three days' of recorded viewings were added in, by Nielsen, the debut episode audience grew to more than 22 million.

BBC America will be managed as a standalone channel within the AMC Networks portfolio, which includes AMC, IFC, WE tv, and SundanceTV, as well as AMC Networks International, a collection of more than 60 channels distributed worldwide.

BBC and AMC Networks have a long partnership history, working together on the award-winning drama series Top of the Lake, drama TheHonourable Woman and the upcoming One Child. As part of the agreement, AMC Networks and BBC Television have agreed to continue to jointly pursue a number of content investment opportunities on a range of future projects, both through BBC America and other AMC Networks channels.

Also included in the partnership is representation of BBC World News in U.S. distribution and domestic advertising sales. Available in over 30 million homes in the U.S., the channel is owned and editorially controlled by BBC Global News Ltd.

 “The BBC is one of the most recognized, trusted and respected brands in the world and we are proud to partner with it to create a content offering unmatched in the industry. I have great respect for what Herb Scannell and his team have achieved over the past four years, elevating BBC America's profile, performance and productions," AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan said in a statement. "A combined AMC Networks-BBC America channel group creates a powerful collection of networks that are among the most critically-acclaimed, with distinct dramas and other potent content that creates a deep connection with viewers. Our content rises to the top on many levels and is particularly well-suited to an era of on-demand viewing and expanding consumer choice."

Tony Hall, BBC Director-General and Chairman of BBC Worldwide, added: “The U.S. is an important market for the BBC’s commercial activities. This partnership brings together the whole BBC and will help us reach new audiences in the U.S., strengthen BBC America’s position for the long term and create opportunities for the UK creative community. We've already worked successfully with AMC Networks on award-winning productions of Top of the Lake and TheHonourable Woman and this partnership means we can produce even more top quality drama together. And I hope this is the beginning of us working together on other future projects too.”

Following completion, BBC Worldwide North America will continue as a wholly owned regional business within BBC Worldwide, focused on program and format sales and co-production relationships, scripted and unscripted production, consumer products, digital and live events.

New York law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed is advising AMC in the transaction.The firm is advising AMC on tax, antitrust, employee benefits and new media/technology aspects of the venture.