Netflix U.K. Debut Without ‘Downton Abbey’ Shows Local Grip

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Netflix Inc., the video-streaming service so popular in the U.S. that it has been blamed for overwhelming the Web, may find itself boxed out of the most coveted content in Europe’s $76 billion pay TV market.

In the U.K., a deal with broadcaster ITV Plc probably won’t include the most recent episodes of successful shows such as “Downton Abbey,” a person with knowledge of the matter said, asking not to be named because the talks are confidential. An agreement with British Broadcasting Corporation this week allows Netflix to offer shows such as “Top Gear” but only six months after the broadcaster has aired them.