BBC UKTV | |
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BBC UKTV logo
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Launched | August 1996 15 November 2009 (HD) |
Owned by | BBC Worldwide (as of 1 July 2008) |
Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
Country | Australia |
Language | English |
Broadcast area | Australia New Zealand |
Formerly called | UKTV (1996–2013) |
Replaced | BBC HD (BBC UKTV HD) |
Sister channel(s) |
BBC Knowledge CBeebies BBC World News BBC First |
Timeshift service | BBC UKTV + 2 |
Website | Australia New Zealand |
Availability
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Terrestrial | |
Igloo | Channel 7 |
Satellite | |
Foxtel | Channel 103 Channel 150 (+ 2) |
Sky Network Television | Channel 7 |
Cable | |
Foxtel | Channel 103 Channel 150 (+ 2) |
IPTV | |
Vodafone InHome TV | Channel 7 |
Foxtel Play | Channel 103 |
Flip TV | Channel 100 |
Fetch TV | Channel 106 |
Streaming media | |
Foxtel Go | Channel 103 |
Sky Go | Channel 1 |
BBC UKTV is a subscription television channel in Australia and New Zealand, screening British entertainment programming, sourced mainly from the archives of the BBC, RTL Group (mainly Talkback Thames material) and ITV plc. The channel was originally a joint venture with Foxtel (60% ownership), the RTL Group (20% ownership) and BBC Worldwide (20% ownership). It is now owned solely by BBC Worldwide. It is the home of the channel's flagship programme The Graham Norton Show.
The channel was first launched in Australia in August 1996, becoming available on Austar in April 1999 and on Optus in December 2002. A New Zealand version with different programming launched on Sky TV, in November 2003.
It shows a mix of repeats of old UK shows previously screened in Australia or New Zealand and new episodes of programs not shown before in Australia or New Zealand. Repeated series include Doctor Who, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Are You Being Served?, Dad's Army, Torchwood, Torchwood Declassified, The Jewel in the Crown, Never the Twain, The Sweeney, and The Bill that have already been seen on free-to-air terrestrial television in Australia. New series include Shameless, new episodes of popular soap operas Coronation Street and EastEnders and the original UK version of The Weakest Link which have not otherwise been screened in Australia. UK soap opera Family Affairs, which has never been screened on free-to-air Australian television, ran on UKTV from 1998 to 2007. In July 2006 UKTV began screening 2006 episodes of UK soap opera Emmerdale which had never before been screened in Australia.