English Entertainment
History channel to premier ‘Hollywood Heroes’ on 3 April
The History Channel will be premiering a new, innovative 13 part, 26 episode series called Hollywood Heroes beginning 3 April at 10 pm.
The series takes a retrospective look at the careers of some of the biggest actors from Hollywood. This April Hollywood greats such as Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Jean Claude Van Damme and Michael Douglas will be profiled on the channel, as they look back at their lives and share the story of their origins – their struggle, rise and in some cases their spectacular fall and re-invention.
"Hollywood Heroes is a great example of the kind of credible and compelling programming that will be on offer on the History Channel", said senior VP content and communication Dilshad Master. "Our endeavor is to make history more relevant for our viewers through such exciting and entertaining programmes to provide the best content for family viewing," she added.
The channel also has an exclusive tie-up with Star Movies to make the series more exciting for audiences as each episode on Hollywood Heroes at 10 pm will be followed by a popular movie featuring the actor from that particular episode, at 11 pm on Star Movies.
Film producer, Ashok Amritraj will host the show and will introduce the actors to the viewers at the beginning of each episode. "It is my pleasure to be associated with The History Channel in India. Hollywood Heroes is an entertaining series that will give Indian audiences a chance to experience Hollywood history personally, connecting them in a meaningful manner to the exciting lives of Hollywood idols," said Amritraj.
The series will be premiered with an interesting episode featuring Sean Connery on 3 April at 10 pm where viewers will journey with the star as he divulges his career secrets and his hard work that has made him an international icon and an award winning actor. The following 25 episodes will also be telecast on the channel on every Saturday and Sunday at 10 pm.
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.
