BBC Worldwide sells its 50% stake in Discovery's Animal Planet channel.

BBC Worldwide has decided to bail out on its partnership with Discovery in the Animal Planet (DStv 264) channel in which the BBC and Discovery had a 50/50 shareholding.

After 13 year the BBC has ended its international channel relationship with Discovery by selling its 50% share to Discovery, although the British broadcaster will still work with Discovery until the end of 2014 to produce more documentary and natural history shows like Planet Earth. David Attenborough's Frozen Planet will for instance be broadcast next year.

BBC Worldwide wants to focus more specifically on BBC Worldwide's channels. ''The launch and growth of BBC-branded international channels is an important strategic priority for BBC Worldwide and the sale of the 50% interest in Animal Planet will enable us to bring increased focus to these fast-growing channels,'' says John Smith, CEO of BBC Worldwide.