Amazon gets exclusive streaming rights for ‘Downton Abbey' season three

Downton Abbey fans who use Hulu or Netflix will be out of luck if they hope to see the latest episodes of the hit British drama. Amazon has secured exclusive streaming rights for the show’s third season, which is currently airing on PBS.

Amazon announced that Amazon Prime users will have exclusive streaming access to not only season three, but all future seasons as well. Season three will be available starting this June. Seasons one and two are already available.

The arrangement is specific to streaming — individual episodes of the show are currently available for purchase on Amazon.

“Our Prime customers have spoken — they can't get enough of the Masterpiece Classic series Downton Abbey,” Brad Beale, director of digital video content acquisition for Amazon, said in a statement to PCMag. “The series is consistently in our top most-watched TV shows each week, making it the most popular TV series with Prime Instant Video customers, ever. Prime Instant Video will soon be the exclusive subscription video streaming home for Downton Abbey.”

An Amazon Prime membership costs $79 a year and also includes free two-day shipping on products.

Earlier this month, Apple’s iTunes secured a deal that gives their season pass holders a chance to see the final season three episodes before they air on PBS.

Although season three is now available on DVD and Blu-ray and already aired in the U.K. last fall, PBS isn’t airing the season finale in the United States until Feb. 17.

The show, which was created by Julian Fellowes, has been renewed for a fourth season. It airs on ITV in the U.K.