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BT to broadcast first episode of The Terror on YouTube

(Credit: AMC)

The show, originally aired on AMC in America and is, in part, based on the true story of two ships, HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, which became trapped in the icy Northwest passage whilst mapping the Arctic coastline in the 19th Century. The series also draws inspiration from Dan Simmons' 2007 best-selling novel of the same name. It combines the real-life drama of being stuck in treacherous conditions with a sinister supernatural element.

Luke Pasqualino and Rupert Grint to star in Snatch on AMC

The ten part drama series is loosely based on the gritty 2000 film of the same name about a real life heist in London, which starred Brad Pitt and Vinnie Jones. 

Luke Pasqualino stars as sharp cockney Albert Hill, who is finding his feet in his family of criminals. He and a group of young hustlers are thrown into the world of organised crime after stumbling upon a truck full of stolen gold bullion. 

Rupert Grint plays Hill's partner-in-crime Charlie Cavendish, an intelligent and well-spoken gentleman who seems to bring chaos with him.  

BT and NFTS launch broadcast engineering scholarship

BT will offer a scholarship to support a student through the Production Technology MA, a two year course which equips students with the skills required in all aspects of production technology in live and recorded environments.

This scholarship will aim to help combat the current skills deficit in the sector. After completing the masters, graduates will be invited to apply for a job at BT.

Event Report: In conversation with John Petter, CEO at BT Consumer

The BT Consumer boss also discussed the company’s first steps into drama, but refused to be drawn on any plans for expansion.

One day before the RTS event, BT extended its TV rights for the Champions League and Europa League until 2021 – but had to shoulder a 32% price hike.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Sally Bundock, presenter of World Business Report on the BBC News Channel, Petter denied that BT had spent too much acquiring rights that no other company – Sky included – was overly keen to win.

BT extends Champions League and Europa League coverage

The three year renewal will be the first time all live games, highlights and in-match clips of both competitions will be together exclusively.

The 2018/19 UEFA Champions League will have a minimum of four participating teams from each of England, Spain, Germany and Italy, which will ensure more games between the top European teams.

UEFA Champions League ‘double header’ nights will be broadcast in conjunction with live matches, which will kick off at both 6pm and 8pm during the Group Stage. 

BT TV app gets a makeover

BT, TV, Children's TV, App, UKTV, Sony

BT’s Antonia Barton promised that “the new BT TV app is much better all round – it is much easier to use and gives you great TV shows to enjoy when you are out and about. Plus there’s so much more content.”

All BT TV customers can download the BT TV app which includes a dedicated kids' section of streamed on demand and catch up shows including SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon and Doc McStuffins from Disney Junior.

BT launches search for digital media entrepreneurs

BT Tower

The BT Infinity Lab has announced plans to launch a competition to find promising digital entrepreneurs with ideas for innovation in sports broadcasting, with the winning idea to be potentially trialled by BT Sport.

The winner will be mentored by the Lab, and will receive six months of support from BT’s research and innovation teams as well as a six-month membership of TechHub, with access to their events and workspace.

BT launches AMC UK channel

Pay-TV platform BT TV is hoping that an unfolding zombie apocalypse will help it bite out a bigger share of a competitive UK market dominated by Sky. Fear the Walking Dead, the much-­anticipated spin-off show of US flesh-­eating drama the Walking Dead, is airing exclusively on BT TV as the flagship drama for the first AMC-branded channel in the UK.

It is part of a wider deal struck in June between US cable operator AMC Networks and BT TV.