BBC sells Animal Planet to Discovery Channel

BBC Worldwide is selling its 50% stakes in the Animal Planet and Liv channels to its joint-venture partner Discovery Channel for $156 million.

The move is in line with the recommendations of the BBC Trust’s 2009 review, which said that the BBC’s commercial arm should sell its stakes in non-BBC branded international channels at a time that was appropriate commercially.

The divestment will allow BBC Worldwide to focus on its wholly owned brands such as Cbeebies and BBC HD.

Animal Planet, which was launched in 1996, has produced landmark series such as Life and Planet Earth.

However the latest move does not mean an end to these series, which are loved by many, as the BBC and Discovery are extending their programming relationship until 2014, so they can continue producing programmes of the standard of Planet Earth.