BBC adds iPlayer live restart to set-top boxes

The BBC is rolling out ‘live restart’ iPlayer functionality to compatible set-top boxes.

Starting with Freesat, the ability to skip to beginning of a live programme at the press of a button is being added to the electronic programme guide (EPG) for the first time.

The UK public broadcaster said it hopes to roll out the live restart functionality to other connected TV platforms in the future.

“Live restart is one of BBC iPlayer’s most popular features, particularly as more and more people are watching live,” said head of BBC iPlayer, Dan Taylor-Watt.

“It’s the first integration of its kind, but we hope to work with more partners in the future to bring this function to as many people as possible.”

BBC iPlayer live restart is already available for web and mobile browsers and for viewers watching on connected TVs.

The BBC estimates that more than half the people watching BBC iPlayer live on TVs already use live restart, and that almost one in five BBC iPlayer viewers across all platforms use it.