Swooping in to give the VOD platform the attractive content it needs, BBC Worldwide has done a deal to provide three new branded channels on the Babelgum platform from next week. Short-form shows including David Attenborough docs and the inevitable Top Gear will all include ads and will run across the new BBC LoveEarth (complementing LoveEarth.com), BBC Knowledge (named after the overseas magazine) and BBC Entertainment (after the international TV channel) sections.

Syndication is increasingly lucrative for BBCWW, pulling in £7 million from destinations like YouTube, iTunes, MySpace TV and Playstation in the year to March 31, according to this week’s annual review. Well-financed Babelgum has faced some problems since launch, swapping its CEO and losing key technical members. Now that the focus is on independent cinema, environment and science, the BBC deal is a good fit. Babelgum took PBS shows in April.

• Babelgum Partners With PBS For Public Service TV Content