Comcast and ViacomCBS have teamed up for a unique partnership to launch a new streaming service called SkyShowtime in select European markets next year.

The new offering will aggregate content from Sky, Peacock, Showtime, Universal Pictures, Paramount+ and other brands, with more than 10,000 hours of programming available from launch.

SkyShowtime will not be available in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland or Austria, where Sky already operates and where plans are afoot to launch both Peacock and Paramount+ over the next 12 months.

Instead the service will be launched into Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Dana Strong, group chief executive at Sky, said: "Our new streaming service, SkyShowtime, will combine the best of the US and Europe with iconic brands and world-class entertainment for millions of consumers in more than 20 new markets in Europe.

"On the heels of Peacock coming to Sky, this partnership provides an innovative approach to quickly scale internationally and monetise content across Europe.

"Drawing on the strength of the incredible programming from NBCUniversal, Sky, and ViacomCBS, and powered by Peacock's platform technology, SkyShowtime will provide a truly compelling lineup for the whole family and strong brand recognition across these regions."

The new venture will be an equal 50-50 split between the two companies in terms of investment and control.