BBC not allowed to screen Family Guy and American Dad on iPlayer

Family Guy and American Dad! have reportedly been banned from being shown on BBC iPlayer.

Seth MacFarlane's animated shows, which have been broadcast on BBC Three, will not be allowed to be moved to the on-demand viewing service by 20th Century Fox Television, after the decision to make the channel online only.

Broadcast claimed that the studio is concerned with iPlayer's security levels and decided to prevent its shows from being available on the free VoD (video on demand) service.

A BBC spokesperson said: "We will be speaking to all our suppliers, following last week's announcement.

"However, at the moment due to rights issues, we are unable to make Family Guy or American Dad! available on BBC iPlayer."

The BBC are hoping the US network will turn around their decision.

Danny Cohen, director of BBC Television, wrote on Twitter last week: "Family Guy and American Dad! are so important to BBC Three. We plan to continue showing them."

Family Guy, about the dysfunctional Griffin family, features the voices of Seth, Mila Kunis and Seth Green, while American Dad! showcases the vocal talents of Seth, Sir Patrick Stewart and Scott Grimes.

 

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.