Netflix will begin streaming “The Breakfast Club” live every weekday starting June 1, marking its first daily live program.
The streaming service announced Thursday that the influential iHeartMedia morning show, co-hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Envy and Jess Hilarious, will air live on Netflix. The move represents a significant step in Netflix’s effort to evolve into a destination for live television-style programming.
Under the expanded deal, the Netflix version will differ from the radio broadcast on Power 105.1 and Premiere Networks by filling commercial breaks with exclusive bonus segments, behind-the-scenes moments, extended discussions and original content for an uninterrupted experience.
The initiative builds on a December agreement that made Netflix the exclusive streaming home for video episodes of the show after its live radio broadcast.
Lauren Smith, Netflix’s vice president of content licensing and programming strategy, called the show “a big step forward in how we bring culturally defining audio-first franchises to life for Netflix audiences around the world.”
“The Breakfast Club” is Netflix’s first daily live series, though the company has previously streamed live events including NFL games, comedy specials, “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on Sunday nights, and other one-off broadcasts.
The announcement deepens Netflix’s broader push into video podcasts, an area long dominated by YouTube. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has signaled growing interest in the format, and the company has since struck podcast-related deals with iHeartMedia, Spotify, Barstool Sports and various individual hosts.