English Entertainment
Discovery hopes to cash in on dinosaur interest
MUMBAI: Discovery has announced a major programme initiative Dinosaur Planet, a show that will air every Wednesday this month at 10 pm.
The show combines the latest research, state of the art computer graphics. The narrator is actor Christian Slater (True Romance). In this manner, the broadcaster brings the viewer up close with the life of these prehistoric creatures.
The pilot episode is called White Tips Journey. The main character is a female velociraptor. The velociraptor breed were brought to memorable life in the Jurassic Park movies. The episode is set 70 million years ago in the Mongolian deserts of Asia. Named “quick thief,” velociraptors such as White Tip are built for speed, with hollow bones and strong muscles. But a velociraptor’s brain was its greatest weapon, making up almost six per cent of its total body weight. Cunning and quick, these animals may have worked together to take down prey many times their size.
In the story, White Tip loses the rest of her pack. Therefore she is faced with the struggle of surviving on her own. In time, she locates a new pack, as well as a mate, only to find that her hardships are just beginning in the harsh desert environment.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
