BBC Studios Home Entertainment

The first BBC Video opening logo, used from 1980 to 1988.

BBC Video was established in 1980 as a division of BBC Enterprises (later BBC Worldwide) with John Ross Barnard at the head, just as home video systems were starting to gain ground.

At launch, the BBC had no agreement with British talent unions such as Equity or the Musician's Union (MU), so BBC Video was limited in the television programming it could release. Initially, video cassette and laser-disc releases were either programmes with no Equity or MU involvement, such as natural history and other documentaries, or material licensed from third parties, including feature films such as High Noon and the first video release of Deep Purple's California Jam concert.

For the first few years, the BBC produced videotapes in both VHS and Betamax formats. The company also worked with Philips on early Laserdisc releases, including a notable ornithology disc called British Garden Birds, presented by David Attenborough. This disc was published in 1982 and included digital data in the form of Teletext, which could be read by any suitably-equipped television. This pioneering use of a data channel on a consumer video format led directly to the development of the BBC Domesday Project in 1984–1986. Since videos could have stereo soundtracks, BBC Video produced stereophonic versions of many programmes that had been broadcast in mono. These included The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer.

The label grew significantly from £13 million turnover in 1989 to nearly £39 million in 1994, enjoying success from television and film serials which had proved popular when first televised and faced high demand for a video release once the new technology became widespread, reducing the need for television reruns.

In 1991, BBC Video was the number-one video label in the UK when it sold more prerecorded videotapes, by value as well as by unit count, than any other company, including all of the Hollywood studios combined.

In October 1985, K-Tel and Braveworld, subsidiaries of the New Southgate-based Prestwich Group, in partnership with Paddy Toomey, launched "The Video Collection", a range of budget-priced video releases that were promoted as being "A video for the price of a blank tape" that would be sold at Woolworths stores across the country.[3] Both Braveworld and The Video Collection were seen as sister labels, with The Video Collection mainly handling re-releases of classic films and special interest titles.[4][5]

In 1986, Thames Television began releasing their home media products through The Video Collection, under the label "Thames Video Collection". On 16 July, Karl-Lorimar Home Video inked an agreement with The Video Collection in order to distribute children's, family and special interest programs for the British market, and would also release Scholastic-Lorimar Home Video releases for the whole entire British market.[6] Shortly afterwards, The Video Collection underwent a management buyout and began operating independently through holding company Rushstage Limited (later renamed to "Future Vision Limited" and then again to "Video Collection International Limited" in 1987). With this, the company expanded rapidly, securing the market lead in retail video sales throughout the mid to late 1980s and into the early to mid-1990s.[7]

In 1989, The Video Collection formed a North American subsidiary - Strand VCI Entertainment. In the same year in the UK, VCI launched the "Cinema Club" budget label, signing a deal with RCA Columbia Pictures International Video/Columbia TriStar Home Video to release their back catalogue. Also in the year, Central Independent Television subsidiary Central Video began distributing its products through The Video Collection, replacing Pickwick Video.

In 1992, Strand VCI Entertainment was renamed to Strand Home Video.[8]

The "Strand VCI plc" subsidiary was rebranded simply to "VCI plc" beforehand in May 1993.[9] In December 1993, VCI sold Strand Home Video to the Handleman Company, who eventually folded Strand into their Video Treasures division.[10]

In 1995, VCI plc rebranded "The Video Collection" as simply "VCI". In April, VCI acquired a 49% minority stake in Hat Trick Productions' film unit - Hat Trick Films. VCI's deal would allow the company to invest £250,000 in the company's films, with a further £450,000 available for the next 18 months. The deal would expect 10 projects a year, with £50,000 paid per script. VCI already held an existing home video distribution agreement with the company for their programmes prior to the deal.[11] Within the same year, the company renewed its home video deal with Thames Television[12] while Cinema Club became a standalone division of VCI, turning into a joint-venture with Columbia TriStar Home Video.[13][14]

On 20 January 1996, the company secured a ten-year extension to its home video deal with Manchester United and purchased the club's book and publishing interests for £2.4 million, allowing VCI to publish books and magazines based on the club.[15] In September, the company secured a £300 million deal to purchase the football club, which Manchester United rejected.[16][17][18] At the end of the year, Central's home video contract with VCI expired, with Central moving distribution over to their parent company Carlton.[12] VCI also took over sell-through distribution of products released by FilmFour, with FilmFour retaining rental rights, as VCI did not operate a rental division.

At the beginning of 1998, VCI signed a deal with Feature Film, and signed a three-year sales, marketing and distribution agreement with Channel 4's "Channel 4 Video" subsidiary.[19][20] This followed a prior agreement with FilmFour where VCI would distribute their retail stock.[21] In March, VCI entered into a five-year joint venture with the Granada Media Group to launch the "Granada Video" label. The deal would bring a further 15,000 hours worth of content into VCI's catalogue, including programmes from GMG-owned ITV franchisees Granada Television, London Weekend Television, Tyne-Tees Television and Yorkshire Television, but did not include GMG's film division.[22] On 8 September 1998, SMG, who already held a 26.1% share in VCI, approached a £31 million bid to purchase the company outright.[23] On 22 September, the Kingfisher Group approached with a higher offer of £46.8 million. Kingfisher won out, with SMG selling their stake over to Kingfisher in October. Kingfisher's £59.3m purchase of Video Collection International was closed by December.

On 6 October 2000, Carlton Communications purchased book publisher André Deutsch from VCI plc, including literature rights to Granada Media's properties and the Manchester United Books imprint. [24]

In July 2001, VCI plc was divested with Woolworths as part of the newly-formed Woolworths Group PLC.[25] By then, VCI plc consisted of the Demon Music Group, Disc Distribution, Video Collection International and Cinema Club. In September, the company signed a seven-year agreement with longstanding partner Ragdoll Productions to release the revival of Brum on home video,[26] which was expanded to include Boohbah in November 2002.[27]

In June 2002, the Cinema Club joint venture with Columbia TriStar ended, with the Cinema Club label being taken by VCI with the subsidiary beginning to release VCI's back catalogue on DVD for budget prices.[28] Columbia TriStar moved it's budget arm to Universal Studios Video, forming a new joint-venture called UCA.[29] In the same month, the company sold Disc Distribution to Deluxe Video Services, allowing them to physically distribute VCI's product.[30] In July 2002, Woolworths Group announced their intentions to sell off the business.[31]

On 12 July 2004, Woolworths Group PLC and BBC Worldwide announced a new joint-venture company called 2 Entertain (stylized as 2 | entertain),[1] which their existing home video units would merge into which are BBC Video and Video Collection International (the latter was renamed to 2 Entertain itself). The BBC's home entertainment unit is still used as of today despite the 2 Entertain merger. BBC Worldwide would hold 60% ownership, while Woolworths would hold 40%.[32] The merger was completed by September of that year.[33] While most BBC releases would be released under the venture, BBC Worldwide would retain standalone rights to children's, music and educational products. The venture retained its partnerships with HIT Entertainment (For Thomas & Friends releases until 2008), Ragdoll Productions, and their worldwide rights for Manchester United releases. The 2 Entertain brand was used for full-price releases, while Cinema Club was retained for budget-priced releases.[34]

Prior to this, Granada Media, one of VCI's main partners, had merged with Carlton Communications to form ITV plc in February. Because of Carlton already owning a home video unit and the BBC's status in 2 Entertain, ITV ended their deal with VCI and eventually, all ITV material was released through Carlton's unit, which had been renamed as Granada Ventures. In June 2005, Channel 4 announced the end of their partnership with VCI, and started up its own home video distribution unit - 4DVD in July, with Lace International handling distribution.[35] Channel 4 citified that they were uncomfortable with the BBC's co-ownership in 2 Entertain and that it jeopardized their DVD sales, this prompted them to move to distributing DVDs in-house. Spirit Entertainment later took over distribution, though still using Channel 4 DVD branding.

On 26 November 2008, BBC Worldwide were announced to be in talks about purchasing Woolworths Group's 40% stake in 2 Entertain.[36] This was finalised by March 2010, making 2 Entertain a fully owned subsidiary.[37]

Starting in May 2012, the 2 Entertain is now used as a label for non-BBC broadcast content, in addition, the company was eventually renamed BBC Studios Home Entertainment (although 2 Entertain is still the legal name of the company). However as of 2021, very little non-BBC content is released through the company.

In April 2022, BBC Studios Home Entertainment (and therefore 2 Entertain) signed a distribution deal with British distributor Spirit Entertainment to represent its physical catalogue in the United Kingdom, after their deal with Sony DADC expired.[38]

In the United States, CBS/Fox Video distributed BBC Video's releases throughout the 1980s until the end of June 2000, when the two companies decided not to renew their deal. On 28 June 2000, BBC Worldwide Americas announced a new partnership with Warner Home Video that would begin effectively on 1 July 2000, excluding the release of Walking with Dinosaurs, which was instead transferred over from CBS/Fox to Warner on 1 September 2000.[39] In December 2006, 2 Entertain renewed their US distribution agreement with Warner Home Video.[40]

In Australia and New Zealand, BBC Worldwide initially distributed their products through the local branch of PolyGram Video before following on with a long-term partnership with ABC Commercial and Roadshow Entertainment that began in 1996 and was renewed many times, with one being a four-year extension occurring in September 2008.[41] On 30 April 2012, BBC Worldwide signed a five-year standalone Australian and New Zealand deal with Roadshow Entertainment within a five-year period, beginning 1 July.[42] Following the expiration of this deal, BBC Worldwide/Studios began distributing its products through Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

In Latin America and Brazil, BBC Worldwide signed a deal with En Pantalla in March 2007 for the distribution of BBC's factual titles.[43]