BBC faces a fight to keep Bodyguard as Netflix buys the rights to show the programme outside the UK
The streaming giant has signed a huge deal to show the first series around the world - meaning they could make a play to acquire season 2 and steal it from the BBC
THE BBC faces losing another hit show to the competition - after Netflix snapped up the worldwide rights to stream the first series of its hit show Bodyguard.
The smash series - starring Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden - isn't made by the BBC, but World Productions, which is owned by rivals ITV.
They've sold the six-part series - about a home secretary and her protection officer - to the multi-billion pound streaming giant to show in all countries other than the UK, Ireland and China from October 24.
Carolyn McCall, ITV’s chief executive, announced the deal at the Royal Television Society’s conference in London yesterday.
She said her company had made "quite a lot of money" out of Bodyguard.
And with ITV further looking to increase their revenues and continue to diversify from the volatile advertising market, this could mean that season two of Bodyguard gets snatched away from the BBC and ends up on Netflix.
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The company has far bigger budgets to play with than their licence fee-funded competitor.
It'll be a huge blow to the BBC if they ending up losing the show - Bodyguard has has given the corporation its biggest drama debut since records began, with over eight million viewers tuning in to last Sunday's episode.
Bodyguard creator Jed Mercurio has said he has ideas for a second series, and Netflix would love the opportunity to acquire it.
However, he has previously praised the BBC for backing Bodyguard "to the hilt".
The news comes amid reports ITV is looking to snatch Peaky Blinders, Masterchef and Pointless away from the BBC by snapping up production company Endemol Shine.
Valued at £3billion, Endemol wouldn't be acquired cheaply, but it's a risk that could have big rewards.
A source told the Daily Star: “The BBC and other channels will be watching closely.
“They might lose some of their key shows. And Big Brother might find a new place on ITV now.”
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