MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC's commercial arm BBC Worldwide has announced that two channels, BBC Prime and BBC Food, are now successfully established on three key media platforms in the Middle East. The announcement was made at the Gulf News Ideal Home Show in Dubai.

Entertainment channel BBC Prime is available to audiences on the Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network across the entire region, and via cable, on E-Vision in the UAE. Orbit, which positions itself as the world's first fully digital, multi-channel and multi lingual pay television platform, owns and broadcasts on 33 television channels and 20 music radio stations to the Middle East and North Africa, while E-Vision is the only cable TV provider in the UAE.

BBC Prime's presence on these two platforms is essential for the success and growth of the channels in the region. The channel delivers the best of British entertainment. Highlights for the new season include live coverage of the Bafta awards, the dramas Canterbury Tales and A Thing Called Love and comedies like Little Britain and The Kumars at No. 42.

BBC Food launched on Showtime. BBC Food brings viewers hot tips from celebrity chefs, including All The Queens Cooks and Saturday Kitchen's Antony Worrall Thompson and Lesley Waters on Ready Steady Cook, and plenty of gourmet dishes and exotic flavours to tempt the taste buds from around the globe.

BBC Worldwide director of channels Wayne Dunsford said, "The successful relationships we have cemented with Orbit, E-Vision and Showtime, demonstrate a commitment to broadcasting quality, BBC content in the region. We are delighted to be working with the leading networks in the Middle East, and are proud to bring all four media players together at the Gulf News Ideal Home Show."