Lovefilm has announced two new deals to add additional content to its Lovefilm Instant service. Deals with ITV and BBC Worldwide will enable customers to access shows from both channels via the Lovefilm service. 

Subscribers to Lovefilm can already watch a range of content online - including some BBC and ITV programmes released on DVD - but the new deal is designed to give wider access to the archives of both channels, rather than act as a catch-up TV service. You won't. for example, be able to watch last night's episode of Doctor Who, but you'll be able to watch a complete series. 

Currently the list of content that will be available hasn't been revealed, but the following shows have been highlighted: Marchlands, Above Suspicion, Prime Suspect, Inspector Morse, Cold Feed, Secret Diary of a Call Girl (pictured), Doctor Who, Life on Mars, Spooks, Whitechapel, Planet Earth.

Access to content will be down existing avenues, so you'll be able to get Spooks on your Xbox 360, Secret Diary of a Call Girl on your PS3 and Doctor Who on your iPad, joining existing content from a wide range of providers through Lovefilm Instant.

"We are thrilled to be bringing together great British TV content with Europe's leading film subscription service. This gives Lovefilm an even more powerful, unique offering of instant programming for our members to view across a growing number of platforms, for one low monthly price," said Simon Calver, CEO of Lovefilm.  

Amazon-owned Lovefilm will soon face a new challenger from US-based Netflix which it looking to move into the UK in 2012. The showdown for streaming content into your living room and mobile devices across a wide variety of platforms could well come down to these two companies, so there are certainly interesting times ahead.