English Entertainment
Showtime orders succession series of ‘Homeland’ & ‘The Affair’
MUMBAI: American cable and satellite television network Showtime has picked up the sixth season of Homeland as well as ordered the third season of The Affair.
The series will air every Sunday at 9 pm. With Homeland and The Affair, Showtime currently has the top two rated scripted series on premium television in the fourth quarter.
Homeland season five stars Claire Danes, Rupert Friend and Mandy Patinkin while The Affair season two stars Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson.
As Homeland approaches its season five finale on 20 December, Carrie Mathison played by Claire Danes and Saul Berenson played by Mandy Patinkin race to stop a terrorist attack on Berlin, after Carrie and Astrid played by Nina Hoss finds Quinn penacted by Rupert Friend barely alive from being tortured by the terrorists planning the attack.
The Affair’s extended second season finale will run for 70 minutes on 20 December at 10 pm. The series explores the emotional and psychological effects of an affair that destroyed two marriages, and the crime that brings these individuals back together. The season will see the provocative drama being narrated separately from four different perspectives, revealing four distinct truths.
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.
