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5Spike

5Spike was a British free-to-air television channel owned by ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia. Launching on 15 April 2015 on Freeview as just Spike, it was a localised version of the American cable channel Spike, 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 American counterpart, as well as mixed martial arts.

History
Following Viacom's acquisition of Channel 5, it was confirmed in late 2014 that a local version of the male-skewing American channel Spike would be launching in the United Kingdom, 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." 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. ==Programming==
Programming
The channel's lineup drew primarily from the original programmes produced by its American counterpart, including Catch a Contractor and Lip Sync Battle among others. The channel also aired imported American 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), As in the United States, 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 programmingBAMMACar Crash TVCriminals: Caught on Camera (also known as Caught on Camera) • Fights, Camera, ActionOutrageous Stunts (also known as Stunt Science) • Police Interceptors TakedownPolice Interceptors UnleashedSeconds from Death: Caught on Camera (also known as ''The World's Deadliest...'') • SewermenTattoo Disasters UKTrucking HellUltimate BoxxerUnder Attack • ''World's Deadliest Weather: Caught on Camera (also known as The World's Deadliest Weather'') • ''World's Wildest Flights'' From Spike USBar RescueBellator MMACaraoke ShowdownCatch a ContractorCopsFrameworkFrankenfoodHungry Investors (renamed as Restaurant Rescue) • Life or DebtLip Sync BattleSweat Inc. From Channel 5Bad Tenants, Rogue LandlordsBen Fogle: New Lives in the Wild • ''Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away'' • Chris Tarrant: Extreme RailwaysCowboy BuildersEddie Stobart: Trucks & TrailersThe Gadget ShowIt Takes a Thief to Catch a ThiefNightmare Tenants, Slum LandlordsPolice Interceptors • ''Robson's Extreme Fishing Challenge'' • Traffic Cops • ''UK's Strongest Man'' • Weather TerrorWinter Road Rescue • ''World's Scariest...'' • ''World's Strongest Man'' Imported19-260 Days In (renamed as 60 Days in Jail) • Airport Security: PeruAirwolfAnimal Fight ClubThe A-TeamBattleBotsBlack SailsBoy to Man (renamed as Wildman: Extreme Adventurer) • ''Behind Bars: The World's Toughest Prisons (renamed as World's Toughest Prisons'') • Breaking Bad (some seasons previously shown on Channel 5/5 USA) • Cimarron Strip (renamed as The Cimarron Strip) • Fail ArmyFugitive Black Ops (renamed as Manhunt: Kill or Capture) • From Dusk till Dawn: The SeriesGangland UndercoverHelixHigh Alert (renamed as High Alert: Policing the Streets) • Impact WrestlingJustifiedKlondikeKnight RiderLockdown (renamed as ''America's Toughest Prisons'') • MegastructuresOlympusPowersRunning Wild with Bear GryllsSixSons of AnarchySpartacusStreet HawkStrongman Champions LeagueTerminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesTransporter: The SeriesThe Walking DeadVikingsThe VirginianWeather Gone Viral (renamed as Extreme Weather: Caught on Camera) • Wild Catch (renamed as Chasing Monsters) • Wynonna EarpThe X-Files Most watched programmes The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Spike, based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB up to 17 March 2019. The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on 5Spike +1. ==See also==
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