Showtime Arabia, a leading pay-TV network in Mena region, and Dubai-based MBC Group announced the launch of 'MBC+ Drama', a new 24-hour Arabic channel that offers a range of best Arabic drama and Turkish series, starting from February 1.

MBC+ Drama offers an impressive line-up of programmes up to three months earlier than any other channel including the ‘First on TV’ exclusively to Showtime subscribers.

The line-up will include the newly-dubbed Turkish soap ‘Mirna Wa Khalil’ starring actor Kivanc Tatlitug, who has become an iconic male personality in the Middle East after the huge success of ‘Noor’ series in which he played the role of ‘Muhannad’.

The schedule of MBC+ Drama also includes an exciting selection of first-run Arabic series including the second seasons of both ‘Ahl Al Gharam’ and ‘Aswar’ as well as the comedy series ‘Gary ya Hamouda’ which features the popular Saudi comedians Youssef Al Jarrah and Shereen Hattab.

Marc Antoine d’Halluin, president and CEO of Showtime, said: 'We are very pleased to continue and develop our relationship with MBC as a strategic partner to introduce another innovative and attractive channel for the benefit of our customers.'

'Showtime is proud to offer exclusively a selection of the best Arabic drama from the region’s leading free to air group,” he added.

Sam Barnett, chief operating officer of MBC Group, said: “MBC+ Drama builds on the previous success of MBC+ launched last year and enables subscribers’ access to a fantastic first on TV line-up of premium Arabic and Turkish content.”

MBC+ Drama will be automatically available to current Showtime Platinum & Premier subscribers and offered ‘a la carte’ to other Showtime subscribers.

“We are offering MBC+ Drama free to all our Platinum and Premier packages and on an a la carte basis to all other subscribers to allow Arabic and Turkish drama fans in the region to access the best of Arabic content, starting from SR55 ($14.6) a month,” added d’Halluin.

Customers who would like to watch the new channel need to be Showtime Platinum or Premier subscribers or subscribers of the Sports, Family, or Movies package. They need to add the MBC+ Drama channel to their bouquet.-TradeArabia News Service