LONDON, UK – In a move poised to significantly reshape the competitive United Kingdom streaming landscape, The Walt Disney Company and ITV have unveiled a “first-of-its-kind” agreement to share curated selections of premium content between their respective UK digital platforms, Disney+ and ITVX.
The landmark partnership, set to commence on July 16, 2025, will grant subscribers to each service access to programming from the other’s library at no additional cost. The collaboration aims to expose diverse audiences to a broader range of shows and extend the reach of popular titles across both platforms.
Details of the Agreement
Operating under distinct branding initiatives – “Taste of ITVX” for the content offered on Disney+ and “Taste of Disney+” for the selection available via ITVX – the deal is structured to facilitate regular refreshment of the content libraries. This dynamic exchange is intended to keep the offerings fresh and continually introduce viewers to complementary programming styles and genres they might not typically encounter on their primary platform.
This alliance marks a strategic pivot in the UK streaming market, aligning with a growing trend among global streamers and established broadcasters to forge partnerships and share content libraries. The collaboration builds upon a previous licensing arrangement between Disney and ITV, signaling a strengthening relationship between the two media giants.
Content Exchange Highlights
Under the terms of the agreement, Disney+ subscribers in the UK will gain access to a curated selection of prominent ITV titles. This includes acclaimed dramas such as ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’, the espionage thriller ‘Spy Among Friends’, popular reality series from selected seasons of ‘Love Island’, long-running detective dramas like ‘Endeavour’ and ‘Vera’, and the critically praised first series of ‘Karen Pirie’. This infusion of popular UK terrestrial content into the Disney+ library represents a significant diversification for the platform.
Conversely, ITVX viewers will be provided access to a selection of sought-after programming from the Disney+ catalogue. Highlights include the debut series of the acclaimed FX dramedy ‘The Bear’, the compelling Lucasfilm sci-fi series ‘Andor’, and the popular Hulu original comedy ‘Only Murders In The Building’. The offering on ITVX will also cater to family audiences with kids’ titles such as ‘Lilo & Stitch: The Series’ and ‘Phineas and Ferb’, alongside reality programming like ‘The Kardashians’ and ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’. This exchange allows ITVX to enhance its offering with premium international and genre content.
Strategic Implications and Advertising Model
The partnership is expected to benefit both companies by driving engagement and potentially attracting new subscribers drawn by the expanded content offering. In a highly competitive market, cross-platform content sharing provides a cost-effective method to increase perceived value for existing subscribers and broaden appeal without the substantial investment required for wholly original content development.
A key commercial aspect of the deal involves advertising. Both The Walt Disney Company and ITV will retain the ability to sell advertising against the content offered on their respective ad-supported tiers. This applies to Disney+ Standard with Ads and ITVX, leveraging the shared content to enhance inventory and reach for advertisers targeting UK audiences across both platforms.
Industry analysts view this type of partnership as a pragmatic response to market saturation and subscriber acquisition challenges in the streaming sector. By pooling select resources and cross-promoting content, companies can mitigate some of the pressures associated with direct competition and capitalize on the complementary strengths of their different audience bases. The agreement between ITV and Disney+ sets a precedent for future collaborations in the UK and potentially other territories, signaling a possible shift towards more cooperative strategies within the global streaming ecosystem.
