Popular streaming service makes surprise return to the UK with Amazon Prime months after it ‘wound down’
A POPULAR streaming service has made a surprise return to the UK, months after winding down its business in a string of countries.
The Nordic broadcaster, behind shows like Pernille, Face to Face and Murderesses, is being made available on Amazon’s Prime Video as an add-on.
Viaplay is one of the top European broadcasters, known for its crime, thriller and dramedy films and original shows.
Now its library of movies and series can be accessed via Prime Video Channels in the UK for an additional £4.99 a month.
This £4.99 fee is paid on top of your standard Prime Video membership.
It comes three months after closing its sports channel Viaplay Xtra in a handover to Premier Sports and two months after closing its standalone streaming service.
What's on Viaplay on Prime Video?
Viaplay is home to a raft of European and Nordic TV shows and movies.
Some of the TV shows coming this summer, include:
- Murderesses (22nd July): Inspired by Katarzyna Bonda’s bestselling true crime book, the series follows a rookie police officer uncovering treacherous family secrets.
- Call Me Dad (29th July): Modern Danish comedy based on an idea by, and starring, best friends Alex Høgh Andersen and Magnus Haugaard.
- Bendtner (12th August): Three-part docuseries on the journey of football prodigy Nicklas Bendtner.
- Börje – The Journey of a Legend (24th August): Record-setting, six-part drama series on hockey hall of famer Börje Salming, starring Valter Skarsgård and Jason Priestley.
Viaplay left the UK, as well as a number of other countries, amid financial troubles.
In a statement last July, Viaplay CEO Jorgen Madsen Lindemann announced that the broadcaster would “exit Poland, Baltics, UK, US and Canada to re-focus on the Nordics and Netherlands”.
“(We will) exit in the form of disposal, partnering or winding down the businesses,” he said at the time.
Embattled Viaplay bought Premier Sports, along with its suite of sports rights, in 2022.
This meant the Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports 2 and Freesports channels were rebranded under the Viaplay moniker.
By the end of 2023, Viaplay agreed a deal to sell off its UK sports channels back to Premier Sports – which marked the end for Viaplay Xtra.
Viaplay Xtra – previously known as Freesports – disappeared from telly boxes on January 25, 2024.
The channel covered more than 1000 sporting events a year across association football, combat sports, ice hockey, tennis, rugby league, rugby union, basketball, cricket, and snooker.
Given the appeal of high-quality Nordic and European content and our large content inventory in the UK, we’re excited to launch the Viaplay subscription channel in the UK and give viewers access to a wide selection of premium exclusive title
Gerald Biart, vice president of partnership at Viaplay
However, a Viaplay executive has since announced a comeback to the UK via Amazon Prime, thanks to the popularity of Nordic and European content in the country.
“Given the appeal of high-quality Nordic and European content and our large content inventory in the UK, we’re excited to launch the Viaplay subscription channel in the UK and give viewers access to a wide selection of premium exclusive titles, including The Bridge, Threesome and the upcoming UK premieres of top performing dramas Börje – The Journey of a Legend and Murderesses,” Gerald Biart, vice president of partnership at Viaplay, said in a statement.
“The Viaplay channel in the UK offers a broad content line-up, from thrilling crime dramas and relatable character-focused dramedies to fascinating true stories and gripping documentaries.”
The app doesn’t appear as though it will make a comeback to other platforms it was once apart of, such as Sky, Virgin Media and Samsung TV.