...as BBC launches its online store

Classic comedies will be available to buy digitally for the first time as the BBC opens its first online store today.

Morecambe & Wise and Dad's Army are among the titles being released on the new BBC Store, having not been available to download before.

The BBC Store boasts more than 6,000 hours of programming, from recent shows like Peter Kay's Car Share to established favourites like Blackadder and Absolutely Fabulous.

It links to iPlayer, where purchased programmes from the archives can be viewed alongside recent programmes, which will continue to be free to view for 30 days after broadcast.

The launch of BBC Store supports the BBC's ambition to raise more commercial income to supplement the licence fee, allowing as much as possible to be invested in content for UK audiences.

Viewers can register at bbcstore.com from this morning.

The BBC says the Store supports plans to raise more commercial income to supplement the licence fee, and is the same principal as being able to buy programmes on VHS or DVD.

Marcus Arthur, managing director of the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide said: 'We want BBC Store to do for digital ownership what BBC iPlayer did for catch up. BBC Store makes digital ownership really easy for audiences and means that we can begin opening up the incredible BBC television archive.'

The comedy catalogue will include: Absolutely Fabulous, The Best Of Morecambe And Wise, Blackadder, Catterick, Dad's Army, Detectorists, The Fast Show, Fawlty Towers, Gavin And Stacey, The Good Life, House Of Fools, I'm Alan Partridge, Inside No 9, Knowing Me Knowing You, The League Of Gentlemen, The Likely Lads, Live At The Apollo, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, The Office, Only Fools And Horses, Peter Kay's Car Share Psychoville, Saxondale, The Smell Of Reeves And Mortimer, Sunshine, The Thick Of It, Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.

Published: 5 Nov 2015