BBC Knowledge to launch Lonely Planet block

BBC Knowledge, the British public broadcaster’s international factual channel, is launching a Lonely Planet programming block from November 1.

The branded programming block is the first time the travel brand, which was fully acquired by the corporation’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide in September, has been integrated into its international channels group.

The block will launch on BBC Knowledge’s channels around the world including in Poland, Africa, Italy, the Nordic Region (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden), Australia, New Zealand and Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea). In India, the channel will launch as part of a block on BBC Entertainment.

The programming block will air a raft of travel series including Free Rein, which is produced by BBC Worldwide-owned producer Freehand and Lonely Planet’s own production arm and follows Bryan Brown and Rachel Warn across the outback’s last frontier The Kimberley and Year of Adventure starring Ben Fogle.

Jana Bennett, president, worldwide networks and global BBC iPlayer, said, “This dedicated home on BBC Knowledge marks a major step in our development of Lonely Planet as a television brand. BBC Worldwide will continue to support its growth through these programming blocks and through specially commissioned Lonely Planet productions. We hope that in time, the brand can evolve into a standalone television channel.”