Telly fans ‘so relieved’ as beloved show is SAVED and will appear on new Amazon streaming service launching in the UK
A MUCH-LOVED show has found a new home in the UK to the relief of fans.
Historical drama Outlander has been left in limbo since the streaming service that hosted it shut down in February.
While the beloved series is set to continue in the US, viewers across the pond were left "up in arms" with nowhere to watch upcoming episodes following the closure of Lionsgate+ in the UK.
Outlander, starring Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe, is set to air the second part of season seven in November and has already been renewed for an eighth final season.
The end of Lionsgate+ also left a cloud hanging over other exclusive content, including Power Book I-IV, BMF, The Serpent Queen, P-Valley, and Hightown.
Fortunately Brits won't have to miss out as they will now appear on a new streaming service from Amazon.
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The retail giant is introducing MGM+ in the UK for the first time after striking a deal with Outlander network Starz.
It'll replace the existing MGM service that's currently available for £4.49 per month - though it's not clear if prices will change.
The bolstered offering is set to land in May with a number of Starz and Lionsgate classics, such as Reservoir Dogs, Saw and American Psycho, and legacy shows, like Mad Men, Nashville and Weeds.
"So relieved," one fan of Outlander wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Thank goodness it will be all set up by November," another viewer said.
A third added: "Yay panic over for Season 7 pt2 in November, we will be able to watch it in the UK."
"The expansion of MGM+ in the United Kingdom further cements Amazon’s commitment to invest in and grow the MGM+ channel internationally, while enhancing the content offering available to subscribers," said the global general manager of the service, Josh McIvor.
MGM+ will sit within Amazon Prime Video as an extra channel fans can subscribe to.
It's not clear if Amazon plans to make MGM+ available as a separate app.
"The addition of premium first-run TV franchises such as Outlander and Power, along with many blockbuster hit movies, will allow MGM+ to continue its evolution as a premium international streaming service," added Michael Katzer, head of MGM+ International.
Could more streaming sites close down?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Senior Technology and Science Reporter at The Sun
Outlander was the most notable hit for Lionsgate+ but as they and other streamers have found, it's going to take a lot more content coming thick and fast to keep viewers onboard.
Streaming platforms have made a big dent into traditional TV's territory for years now but today there are just so many it would be unaffordable to subscribe to them all.
And so, you're left with the big established players like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.
In many ways, it's easier and cheaper to produce shows and sell them to platforms instead.
Sony - which doesn't have its own major streaming service beyond niche interest Crunchyroll - made a conscious decision to steer clear of the mainstream and focus on just producing shows, which Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO described as the "right choice" given the pressures. The company did just launch some free streamed TV channels via Samsung and LG.
In the US, HBO Max and Discovery+ were fused to form a new Max app, meanwhile, Disney+ was revamped to incorporate Hulu.
Experts believe more merges are inevitable and so it's no surprise Amazon has acquired the rights to Starz's shows.