Fetch TV has tonight announced it will expand its entertainment programming lineup with the addition of a new channel Spike on July 1st

Spike is marketed as an “entertainment brand for adults defined through bold, high stakes original programming”.

The announcement comes after Fetch TV added Comedy Central earlier this year. Both channels are owned by Viacom. With the addition of these new entertainment channels plus the English Premier League, Fetch is hoping to steal a significant number of customers from Foxtel.

Spike features franchises such as Lip Sync Battle, hosted by music icon LL COOL J and Bellator MMA, Spike will offer a mixture of factual content, adrenalin-fuelled sports and a range of reality and lifestyle series.

In Australia, Spike will cater to 18 -39 year olds with a catalogue of exclusive Australian television premiere content direct from the US and the UK.

The channel will air in Australia without commercials.

Programming to be featured in the Spike line-up include:

BELLATOR MMA

Spike will become the new Aussie home of Bellator MMA, a leading mixed martial arts organisation based in Santa Monica, California, which creates, promotes and produces the most exciting, competitive and entertaining mixed martial arts competition in the world. The tournaments feature some of the world’s top athletes who put it all on the line each day, leaving every ounce of themselves inside the cage. Owned by Viacom and under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator MMA is a leader in sports entertainment, available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries.

 

LIP SYNCH BATTLE

Spike will air both Lip Sync Battle US and the Australian premiere series of Lip Sync Battle UK. The critically-acclaimed and award-nominated Lip Sync Battle features celebrities going head to head lip- syncing the song of their choice, battling for the coolest bragging rights on the planet. The series is a ratings and multiplatform superstar for Spike internationally and is the most-watched original series in network history. The series is a digital hit as well, amassing over half a billion video streams since launch last April, with over 50 million alone for the season 2 premiere featuring Channing Tatum vs. Jenna Dewan-Tatum with special appearances by Beyoncé and Paula Abdul.

The UK version of Lip Sync Battle, hosted by London rapper Professor Green and former ‘Scary Spice’ Mel B, launched January 9 on Viacom’s Channel 5 and was the top-rated show in the 16-34 demographic in the time period.

 

POLICE INTERCEPTORS

Police Interceptors is a British documentary series which follows the work of police ANPR Intercept teams (now known as the Territorial Support Team) through high-speed, dangerous car chases often following car thieves and reckless, speeding or drunken drivers. Each series follows police units from different locations across England.

 

Other programming highlights include Australian premiere series:

Coaching Bad, featuring nine competitive parents with serious anger management issues, who coach their children’s sports teams.

Sweat Inc. featuring aspiring fitness entrepreneurs as they compete to create the most ground-breaking exercise program, for an opportunity to launch their own fitness empire.

Life or Debt, which showcases renowned financial strategist Victor Antonio, who leads families out of economic adversity with expert advice and tough love, and

Framework, which is a furniture design and construction competition series hosted by hip- hop superstar Common.

 

Simon Bates, Vice President and head of MTV, Comedy Central and Spike in Australia and New Zealand said:

“We’re excited to partner with Fetch TV to bring Spike, the brand new destination for entertainment, action, sport and lifestyle content to Australia “

“Spike delivers original programming created to engage, inspire and push the boundaries of the unexpected including Bellator, the world’s leading mixed martial arts competitions and Lips Synch Battle, the global phenomenon that has smashed rating records on Spike in both the US and the UK”

Scott Lorson, CEO of Fetch TV said:

“Spike is an unique and exciting channel that will have great appeal to our growing subscriber base.”“Our growing partnership with Viacom now covers 7 leading linear channels, with the most recent additions, Comedy Central and Spike, being commercial free and available only on Fetch TV.”