Love Island is heading to Disney+ UK, and The Bear will be available on ITVX following a landmark partnership between Disney and ITV. This deal introduces “Taste of” versions of each other’s streaming services, allowing viewers to enjoy selected content from both platforms.
As part of the agreement, ITVX viewers can watch popular Disney+ shows such as Andor, Only Murders in the Building, The Kardashians, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives through a dedicated “Taste of Disney+” rail on ITVX. Simultaneously, Disney+ will launch a “Taste of ITVX” rail featuring favorites like Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Love Island, A Spy Among Friends, and Vera.
Karl Holmes, Disney+’s General Manager for EMEA, told Deadline he expects similar partnerships with other broadcasters across EMEA in the coming months. He highlighted that this is a mutually beneficial relationship that expands reach into free-to-air audiences in larger markets, enabling ITVX and Disney+ to succeed together.
This partnership is the first of its kind but is selective. Only a small portion of Disney+’s library—roughly 70 to 100 hours—will be available on ITVX initially, with a slightly larger offering in the opposite direction. Content will rotate every two months to keep the selections fresh, with monthly meetings between Disney+ and ITV executives to decide on new additions. Most marketing will occur through customer marketing or in-app promotions, and all shows will remain available on their original UK platforms.
Selected seasons of Love Island, including the All Stars spin-off, will be accessible on Disney+, with recent seasons expected to move quickly after airing on ITV. For ITV reality shows, there is a very fast second window planned.
Disney+ will also become the first American streamer to carry Mr Bates vs the Post Office, a BAFTA-winning drama starring Toby Jones. Another BAFTA-winning series, Disney+’s Rivals, produced by ITV Studios’ Happy Prince, will not be on ITVX, as it already has high awareness nationwide.
Holmes pointed out the complementary nature of the two audiences: less than 10% of Disney+ viewers are over 55, while for ITV, the figure is about 40%. This makes the partnership ideal for offering shows like The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, and Andor to ITV’s demographic, who might otherwise not access such content on free-to-air services.
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ITV content chief Kevin Lygo described the deal as a “mutually beneficial alliance.”
Looking ahead, Holmes envisions free-to-air VoD players and U.S. streamers growing closer, citing recent deals such as Netflix’s partnership with France’s TF1 and Amazon’s collaboration with France Télévisions as examples. “There will be lots of different models that achieve a similar outcome,” he said.
Disney and ITV have a successful history together. ITV Studios produces and distributes some of Disney+ UK’s most-watched shows, including Rivals, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, and the upcoming Blind Date reboot. ITV also broadcasts Disney+ hits like Renegade Nell and Under the Bridge.
Regarding advertising, ITV Commercial will handle ads for the “Taste of Disney+” section on ITVX, while Disney+ will sell ads for the “Taste of ITVX” on its Standard with Ads tier.
