Virgin Media customers warned of another channel closure in latest shake-up affecting millions of TV boxes
VIRGIN Media customers are set to lose another channel on their boxes in the latest overhaul to TV boxes.
The food and cooking channel launched in July 2023 as part of a major shift to increase the number of streamed TV channels.
These channels are beamed onto screens via the internet instead of cable but appear on the electronic programme guide like any other station.
They’re only available on Virgin TV 360, Stream and V6 boxes.
Tastemade was among the first FAST – free ad-supported TV – channels to be added to Virgin boxes at no extra cost.
But Virgin Media has confirmed to The Sun that the channel will disappear on March 31.
A spokesperson said: “We regularly review our streaming channel line-up so it might change from time to time to ensure it works best for our customers.”
Tastemade will vacate its current spot at channel number 232.
Fortunately, Virgin Media has been bolstering its streamed channel offering.
The firm currently has around 30 but boss David Bouchier recently revealed that as many as 50 could land in the future.
“We took the decision that had technical and regulatory complications, but we took the decision that it had to sit in our EPG and our FAST channels do that,” he told the Connected TV World Summit.
“We also heard about the importance of regional content, local appeal. We are not going for volume. We don’t need a volume of kind of faceless international channels.
“We’re fortunate with being an English language territory that we have a lot of library from UK producers who produce a lot of programming now and have very well-known program brands that are able to create very powerful thematic FAST channels for us.”
Earlier this month, two channels were added to the line-up.
Wonder is the first, where viewers can find programmes on groundbreaking engineering, innovative technology, and scientific exploration.
And the second is Red Bull TV, which shows motorsport, biking, snowboarding, and more.
Some of the streamed channels you can still find on Virgin Media include:
- Inside Crime
- Real Wild
- Mystery TV
- Haunt TV
- History Hit
- 5 Cops
- Catfish
- U&The Past
- U&Real Heroes
- U&Transport
- Homes Under The Hammer
- Great British Menu
- Hell’s Kitchen
- History Hunters
- Real Crime
- Real Life
- U&Laughs
- NextUp Live Comedy
- The Chat Show Channel
- Baywatch
- Love Drama
- CSI: New York
- Deal Or No Deal
- Tipping Point
- Mythbusters
- Eggheads
Will more channels close soon?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
The BBC announced in 2022 that CBBC and BBC Four would disappear as traditional linear channels in a few years and go digital only via iPlayer.
However, the pair may have had a bit of a reprieve for now, after the BBC’s head of children’s programmes, Patricia Hildago, recently said “it’s really important… that if children still need us on a linear network, we’re going to be there for them”.
When Channel 4 announced the closure of The Box and other music channels it owned in January, the broadcaster hinted that more could come.
At the time the company said it was proposing to “close small linear channels that no longer deliver revenues or public value at scale, including the Box channels in 2024 and others at the right time”.
So which could the “others” be? It really depends what Channel 4 considers “small” but its other channels include More4, E4, E4 Extra, Film4 and 4Seven.