 Logo used from 2017 to 2020 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom |
| Network | Channel 5 |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 576i16:9SDTV |
| Timeshift service | 5Spike +1 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited |
| History | |
| Launched | 15 April 2015; 10 years ago (2015-04-15) |
| Closed | 7 January 2020; 5 years ago (2020-01-07) |
| Replaced by | Paramount Network |
| Former names | Spike (2015–2017) |
5Spike was a Britishfree-to-air television channel owned byViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia. Launching on 15 April 2015 onFreeview as justSpike, it was a localised version of the American cable channelSpike (now Paramount Network), and became a multiplex channel ofChannel 5 in 2017 when it renamed as 5Spike. It primarily aired entertainment programmes, including action and drama series, police documentaries, and programming from its American counterpart, as well asmixed martial arts.
On 7 January 2020, the network was discontinued, withParamount Network assuming its channel placements and programming.
FollowingViacom's acquisition ofChannel 5, it was confirmed in late 2014 that a local version of the male-skewing American channelSpike would be launching in the United Kingdom, with the channel proposed to replaceViva onFreeview.[1] The channel was operated under the auspices of Channel 5's programming director Ben Frow; of Spike's lineup, he described the service as a "driven, high-energy channel offering a point of view and program mix I think is different from anything else on British TV right now."[1]
Spike launched on 15 April 2015 on Freeview channel 31, displacing5USA; although it was originally announced that Spike would replace Viva entirely on Freeview, Viva was instead moved to a different channel and reduced to two hours per day to conserve bandwidth for Spike, with 5USA taking on its previous channel allotment.[2][3][4][5][6] Among its first programmes, the premiere ofPolice Interceptors Unleashed was seen by 137,000 viewers.[7]
On 31 October 2017, Spike was rebranded as5Spike to more closely associate itself with its sister channels and the Channel 5 brand.
A British version of Spike's successor in the US,Paramount Network, was launched on 4 July 2018.[8] On 7 January 2020, 5Spike was merged with Paramount Network.[9]
The channel's lineup drew primarily from the original programmes produced by its U.S counterpart, includingCatch a Contractor andLip Sync Battle among others. The channel also aired imported U.Sdramas, from modern dramas such asBreaking Bad (notably marking the first time the entire series would be broadcast by British television; only the first two seasons were shown byFox and5 USA, with the remainder available viaNetflix),Sons of Anarchy,Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles andThe Walking Dead, to classic shows such asThe X-Files,The A-Team andKnight Rider. Spike also carried original British productions, such asPolice Interceptors Unleashed (a spin-off of theChannel 5 series),[7] and repeats of some of Channel 5's factual programmes.[10][11]
As in the U.S,[12]mixed-martial arts also comprised a portion of Spike's lineup, with British TV rights toBellator MMA and, under a long-term deal, exclusive rights toBAMMA events beginning with BAMMA 20 on 25 April 2015.[13]
The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Spike, based on Live +7 data supplied byBARB up to 17 March 2019.[17] The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on 5Spike +1.
| Rank | Show | Episode | Number of Viewers | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Expendables 2 | N/A | 359,000 | 27 March 2016 |
| 2 | The Guns of Navarone | 343,000 | 20 May 2018 | |
| 3 | Centurion | 328,000 | 12 February 2017 | |
| 4 | The Expendables 3 | 335,000 | 27 December 2017 | |
| 5 | 327,000 | 26 March 2017 | ||
| 6 | Battle of Britain | N/A | 311,700 | 27 December 2019 |
| 7 | 306,500 | 9 March 2019 | ||
| 8 | Transporter: The Series | 2.07 – Sex, Lies and Video Tapes | 303,000 | 19 February 2016 |
| 9 | Trucking Hell | 1.02 – Episode Two | 294,000 | 24 May 2018 |
| 10 | Hummingbird (film) | N/A | 286,100 | 13 March 2019 |
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| Defunct channels | |
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| Other | |
