5Spike was a British free-to-air television channel owned by ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia (Now Paramount Networks UK & Australia). Launching on 15 April 2015 on Freeview as just Spike, it was a localised version of the American cable channel Spike (now Paramount Network), and became a multiplex channel of Channel 5 in 2017 when it renamed as 5Spike. It primarily aired entertainment programmes, including action and drama series, police documentaries, and programming from its U.S. counterpart, as well as mixed martial arts.
On 7 January 2020, the network was discontinued, with Paramount Network assuming its channel placements and programming
History
Following Viacom's acquisition of Channel 5, it was reported that a local version of the male-skewing U.S. channel Spike would be launching in the United Kingdom. These reports were confirmed in late 2014, with the channel proposed to replace Viva on Freeview. 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."
Spike launched on 15 April 2015 on Freeview channel 31, displacing 5USA; 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. Among its first programmes, the premiere of Police Interceptors Unleashed was seen by 137,000 viewers.
On 31 October 2017, Spike was rebranded as 5Spike 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. On 7 January 2020, 5Spike was merged with Paramount Network. The 5Spike name was discontinued with the Paramount Network assuming its channel positions on Freeview, Sky (including its +1 timeshift channel) and Virgin Media, and with the programming changed to reflect that of 5Spike, with more male-skewering shows and action movies.
Programming
The channel's lineup drew primarily from the original programmes produced by its U.S counterpart, including Catch a Contractor and Lip Sync Battle among others. The channel also aired imported U.S dramas, from modern dramas such as Breaking Bad (notably marking the first time the entire series would be broadcast by British television; only the first two seasons were shown by Fox and 5 USA, with the remainder available via Netflix), Sons of Anarchy, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and The Walking Dead, to classic shows such as The X-Files, The A-Team and Knight Rider. Spike also carried original British productions, such as Police Interceptors Unleashed (a spin-off of the Channel 5 series), and repeats of some of Channel 5's factual programmes.
As in the U.S, mixed-martial arts also comprised a portion of Spike's lineup, with British TV rights to Bellator MMA and, under a long-term deal, exclusive rights to BAMMA events beginning with BAMMA 20 on 25 April 2015.
Original programming
BAMMA
Car Crash TV
Criminals: Caught on Camera (also known as Caught on Camera) Fights, Camera, Action Outrageous Stunts (also known as Stunt Science) Police Interceptors Takedown Police Interceptors Unleashed Seconds From Death: Caught on Camera (also known as The World's Deadliest...) Sewermen Tattoo Disasters UK Trucking Hell Ultimate Boxxer Under Attack World's Deadliest Weather: Caught on Camera (also known as The World's Deadliest Weather) World's Wildest Flights
From Spike US
Bar Rescue
Bellator MMA
Caraoke Showdown
Catch a Contractor
Cops
Framework
Frankenfood
Hungry Investors (renamed as Restaurant Rescue) Life or Debt Lip Sync Battle Sweat Inc.
From Channel 5
Bad Tenants, Rogue Landlords
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild
Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away
Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways
Cowboy Builders
Eddie Stobart: Trucks & Trailers
The Gadget Show
It Takes A Thief To Catch A Thief
Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords
Police Interceptors
Robson's Extreme Fishing Challenge
Traffic Cops
UK's Strongest Man
Weather Terror
Winter Road Rescue
World's Scariest... World's Strongest Man