BBC iPlayer now on Sky, with Anytime+ open to all

iPlayer is coming to Sky for the first time. To make sure everyone can catch up on BBC shows such as Doctor Who and Sherlock, Sky is opening up Sky Anytime+ -- its on-demand service you watch via your Sky box -- to any Sky viewer, not just those on its broadband package.

ITV Player also arrives on Anytime+ this week. Popular ITV shows such as Prime Suspect, Lewis and Cold Feet will be available to watch from tomorrow. Other ITV series, including Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and popular BBC shows like Top Gear, Hustle and Outnumbered will follow later this year.

The stumbling block for a deal between Sky and the BBC has been that Auntie wants its services as openly available as possible -- we've already paid for it, after all, with the licence fee.

So Sky has opened up Sky Anytime+ to all its customers, not just those who have Sky broadband. You still need to be a Sky customer, but if you want iPlayer on your TV through your Sky box, you can stick with the best value Internet service provider for your needs and you won't be forced to switch to Sky broadband.

That means you'll be able to catch up with the latest BBC and ITV shows without having to pay any extra fee over and above your current Sky package.

iPlayer has exploded in the last year, with record numbers of programmes being watched and listened to online, on mobile phones and on the iPad.

Auntie Beeb and Cousin Sky reckon iPlayer will arrive for the first time on up to 5 million Sky TVs this year. iPlayer is now available on Virgin Media, BT Vision, freesat, Freeview, the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo Wii, and many smart TVs. The BBC recently added the BBC Red Button service to Virgin Media TiVo too.

Is the arrival of iPlayer and ITV on Sky a big deal for you? Which programmes are you most looking forward to watching? Tell us in the comments or change the channel to our Facebook page.