BBC Worldwide Ltd

BBC Worldwide was the commercial subsidiary company wholly owned by the BBC, and was the successor of BBC Enterprises Ltd. BBC Worldwide was established in 1995 in order to take on the function of selling BBC programmes abroad, and therefore generate funding for the BBC to supplement the Television Licence Fee. The company included a Consumer Products division, which markets goods based on BBC brands.

In 2007 BBC Worldwide acquired a 70% share of travel guide company Lonely Planet. This stake was sold in 2013, at an £80 million loss. In the same year the company was restructured along geographical lines, with divisions focussed on North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Global Markets (Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America and Western Europe).

In 2018 BBC Worldwide merged with BBC Studios, establishing a new production, distribution and licensing company using the BBC Studios name.

The Company Number is 01420028.