Disney Junior, previously known as Playhouse Disney, was a British and Irish preschool

pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...

channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Australia in Queensland and pa ...

that ran from 29 September 2000 to 30 September 2020. Owned by

the Walt Disney Company Limited This is a list of assets currently or formerly owned by the Walt Disney Company, unless otherwise indicated. As of October 2024, the Walt Disney Company, or just Disney, is organized into three main segments: Disney Entertainment, which include ...

with branding obtained from

Disney Channels Worldwide Disney Branded Television is a unit of Disney General Entertainment Content which oversees development, production and acquisition of content geared towards children, teenagers and families for Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney Jr. and Disney XD. ...

unit of Disney's

Disney–ABC Television Group Disney General Entertainment Content (DGEC), formerly ABC Group, Disney–ABC Television Group and the second incarnation of Walt Disney Television, is a division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company that ove ...

division, the channel focused on preschool programming. The channel was rebranded as Disney Junior on 7 May 2011, and closed on 30 September 2020, due to the launch and re-focus of

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

in the region.

History

Early programming efforts

When Disney Channel changed its programming focus in 1997, a preschool block titled "Disney Channel Underfives" was launched to fill its morning schedule. On 28 September 1999, the time slot was given its own distinct identity and live-action continuity. It was rebranded as Playhouse Disney, introducing that branding for the first time outside of the United States. The two main presenters were

Dave Benson Phillips Dave Benson Phillips (born 3 February 1965) is a British entertainer, comic, children's television presenter and wrestler. He has presented '' Playhouse Disney'' (1998–2006), '' Fun Song Factory'' (1994–1999), and the CBBC game show '' Get ...

and

Alex Lovell Alexandra "Alex" Lovell (born 28 March 1973) is an English television presenter, actress, newsreader and voice-over artist who is employed by ITV West Country. Her previous roles include stage and television acting, and she presented or co-prese ...

(referred to as Big Dave and Little Alex), presenting programming from "the Playhouse" during continuity.

Launch as a dedicated channel

On 29 September 2000, Disney Television International launched Playhouse Disney as a standalone channel alongside Toon Disney and Disney Channel +1 on the Sky Digital platform. Since the channel was exclusive to Sky Digital at the time, the Playhouse Disney block continued to broadcast on Disney Channel during school-term weekdays. Playhouse Disney, alongside the other two networks, were added to

NTL NTL may refer to: Companies * NTL Incorporated and NTL Internet, later Virgin Media, communications media company ** NTL Ireland, later Virgin Media Ireland * Arqiva, UK company formerly ''NTL Broadcast'' and ''National Transcommunications ...

from November 2001. and eventually launched on

Telewest Telewest (previously Telewest Broadband and Telewest Communications) was a cable internet, broadband internet, telephone supplier and cable television provider in the United Kingdom. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange, and was also ...

on 3 December 2003. Following these launches, the Playhouse Disney block reduced its hours of programming featured and was eventually removed altogether in July 2004.

Transition to standard network

On 28 February 2006,

Disney Media Networks Disney Media Networks was a business segment of the Walt Disney Company that oversaw the company's television networks, cable channels, television production and distribution studios, and owned-and-operated television stations. The segment's p ...

and

BSkyB Sky UK Limited (formerly British Sky Broadcasting Limited (BSkyB)), trading as Sky, is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television, broadband internet, fixed line and mobile telephone services to consumers ...

announced that Playhouse Disney, along with its sister channel

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

would transition from premium add-ons to basic television packages such as Sky's "Kids Mix" beginning on 16 March, and that a new sister channel,

Disney Cinemagic Disney Cinemagic was a European block programming, programming block and television channel brand that was used from 2006 to 2019, owned by The Walt Disney Company (UK) (50%) Sky Group, Sky plc (50%) and operated by the Disney Channels Worldwide ...

, would take over Disney's premium offerings, replacing

Toon Disney Toon Disney was an American multinational pay television channel owned by Disney Branded Television, a subsidiary of Disney-ABC Television Group. The channel's target audience was children aged 7–11, and older children and adolescents aged 8� ...

. The transition of Playhouse Disney to a basic network led to a significant broadcast share increase of 83% by July. The Playhouse presentation format hosted by Big Dave and Little Alex remained until late August 2006. In June 2006, a Playhouse Disney block was added to the morning schedule of

ABC1 ABC TV, formerly known as ABC1, is an Australian national public television network. It is owned and operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and is the flagship (broadcasting), flagship ABC Television (Australian TV network), A ...

. It was removed after Disney shut down ABC1 in September 2007. ABC1's slot itself on Sky would be used to launch a 25-minute timeshift of Playhouse Disney, which was added on 30 October, and launched on 3 November.

Rebrand as Disney Junior

On 29 January 2011, it was announced that Playhouse Disney would rebrand as Disney Junior on 7 May, as part of a worldwide rebranding. On the date of the rebrand, the channel transitioned to airing in a 16:9 widescreen ratio. On 21 February 2013, Sky and Disney Channels Worldwide announced that a high-definition simulcast of Disney Junior would launch on Sky in May. In September 2017, Disney XD +1 was temporarily rebranded as a pop-up channel titled Mickey and Pals, which aired various programming from Disney Junior.

Closure

Disney Junior, along with its sister channels

Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Entertainment units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years old ...

and

, closed in the UK on 30 September 2020, after 20 years on-air. The closure was previously announced on 25 June that year; all of the channels' content were transferred to Disney's streaming service,

. Virgin Media removed the channels a day before their closure on 29 September, with

CBBC CBBC is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the brand used for all BBC content for children aged 6 to 12. Its sister c ...

and

CBeebies CBeebies is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the brand used for all BBC content targeted for children aged six year ...

taking over the network's former Sky EPG slots on 1 October.

Logos

file:2000 Playhouse Disney logo.svg, 2000-2011 file:Disney junior.png, 2011-2019 file:2019 Disney Junior logo.svg, 2019-2020

References

{{Disney Channel Disney television channels in the United Kingdom Children's television channels in the United Kingdom Television programming blocks in Europe Television channels and stations established in 2000 1999 establishments in Ireland 1999 establishments in the United Kingdom 2020 disestablishments in Ireland 2020 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Television channels and stations disestablished in 2020

UK and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Defunct television channels in the United Kingdom Television stations in Malta