Virgin Media boosts on-demand programming with Endemol Shine

10th March 2016

Virgin Media has today announced a partnership with Endemol Shine International to bring the hit US show Kingdom to the UK, exclusively for its TV customers to watch on demand from 1st April 2016.  Virgin Media has signed an exclusive licensing deal with the distributor for the first two series ofKingdom comprising of thirty one-hour episodes.

The tie-up between one of the UK’s biggest Pay-TV providers, alongside one of the largest independent production and distribution companies, further bolsters Virgin Media’s exclusive Video on Demand (VOD) offering.  The deal was negotiated by James Braham, Endemol Shine International’s Senior Sales Director UK and Ireland and Gill Hay, Director of Content Partnerships from Virgin Media.

Kingdom, created by Byron Balasco, is a raw, emotional family drama set in Venice, California against the backdrop of the renegade subculture of Mixed Martial arts.  Kingdom season one stars cast regulars:

  • Frank Grillo (“Captain America,” “The Purge”) as Alvey Kulina, a Mixed Martial Arts legend and owner of Navy St. MMA gym based in Venice, CA
  • Kiele Sanchez (“The Purge,” “Lost”) as Lisa Prince, Alvey’s girlfriend
  • Matt Lauria (“Friday Night Lights”) as Ryan “The Destroyer” Wheeler, the world-class athlete who had it all, including Lisa Prince, until his spiralling drug addiction landed him in prison
  • Jonathan Tucker (“Justified, “Parenthood”) as Jay Kulina, Alvey’s eldest son
  • Nick Jonas as Nate Kulina, Alvey’s youngest son and the prized fighter at the gym
  • Joanna Going (“House of Cards,” “Mad Men”) as Christina Kulina, Alvey’s estranged wife and mother to Jay and Nate
  • Natalie Martinez (“Secrets and Lies”) joins season two as a series regular and plays Alicia Mendez, an impulsive but skilled female fighter who is training at Navy Street MMA Gym


Kingdom is produced by Endemol Shine Studios, the scripted division of Endemol Shine North America.

David Bouchier, Chief Digital Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media said: “When choosing our exclusive programmes we look for edgy, immersive stories with exciting talent, a strong genre and characters with real depth.

We want to bring our customers something distinctive which they won't otherwise see on British TV.Kingdom ticks all of these boxes and I know our customers are going to love it.

We’ve got huge plans for Virgin TV this year and there’s no better way to start than with a Kingdom-sized roundhouse kick.”

Kingdom will be available from 1st April for Virgin Media TV XL customers to watch through its TV on demand service. The first six episodes will be available to watch from this date, followed by a new episode released each week.  The final episode of season one will be broadcast alongside the first episode of season two – joining both seasons together. 

Cathy Payne, Chief Executive of Endemol Shine International said “ESI are thrilled that Virgin Media are bringing Kingdom to the UK audience.  We are confident Kingdom will be embraced by viewers here in the UK as is has across the USA, Canada, Australia, France, Germany and Latin America, to name a few of the territories where the series has built a strong following.”

Note to editors

About Endemol Shine International

Global distributor Endemol Shine International has a portfolio of over 38,000 hours of owned and third party programming across scripted and non-scripted genres.  This includes Broadchurch, Peaky Blinders, The Fall, Humans, The Frankenstein Chronicles, Code of a Killer, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Grantchester, Kingdom, Hot in Cleveland, Home and Away, MasterChef, The Block, 24 Hours in A & E, Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, One Born Every Minute, My Kitchen Rules, The Biggest Loserand Mr Bean.

Endemol Shine International has regionally focused distribution hubs in London, Los Angeles, Paris, Sydney, Miami, Moscow, Singapore and Mumbai, which serve broadcasters and other platforms in every market.

Endemol Shine International is part of Endemol Shine Group, the new joint venture bringing together Endemol Group and Shine Group, to create a global content creator, producer and distributor with a diverse portfolio of over 600 revenue generating titles across scripted and non-scripted genres; coupled with digital, gaming, and distribution operations.

Endemol Shine Group has creative operations in over 30 markets and in addition to its global, multi-genre library the company has the resources to deliver world-class productions to local broadcasters and other platforms across the globe.

21st Century Fox and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC jointly manage Endemol Shine Group, with each owning 50 per cent.

About Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. And we’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises.

Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.

We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services to customers. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest widely available broadband speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 27 million customers across 14 countries.