Disney Channel was a children's

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 operated in the UK and

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

from 1 October 1995 to 1 October 2020 as the variant of the namesake American television channel. It was owned and operated 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 ...

, the

EMEA Europe, the Middle East and Africa, commonly known by its acronym EMEA among the North American business spheres, is a geographical region used by institutions, governments and global spheres of marketing, media and business when referring to t ...

arm of

the Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

and served audiences under age 18 in the region. During its operation, Disney Channel was supported by a one-hour timeshift channel, Disney Channel +1, which was available on

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...

and

Virgin Media Virgin Media Limited is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are at Green Park in Reading, England. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 ...

History

Development (1989–1995)

In 1989, Disney Channel UK was set to become the first Disney Channel outside the US with support from Sky Television, a former British satellite television company. The channel was to feature promotional material for Sky Television and the Astra satellite. However, a proposed joint venture between Disney and Sky Television was cancelled. Disputes over decision-making responsibilities led to Sky suing Disney for £1.5 billion in damages. Disney argued that it sought more influence over decisions and was unwilling to fund its share of the venture. The lawsuit was eventually settled, and Disney sold its stake in the joint venture to Sky. As a result, Sky gained access to the Walt Disney Pictures movie library for five years. In December 1994, following the expiration of its agreement with Sky, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to independently launch The Disney Channel in the United Kingdom. The channel, which was set to debut in fall 1995, would be available as a subscription service through a deal with

British Sky Broadcasting 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 a ...

. Subscribers to Sky's movie package could receive The Disney Channel for free, while it was also offered as a standalone package. In January 1994, Disney announced a joint venture with CLT Multi Media to launch

Super RTL Super RTL is a German free-to-air television network owned by RTL Deutschland. The channel originally launched in 1995 as a joint venture between RTL Group predecessor company CLT-UFA and Disney's Buena Vista International Television Investment ...

in Germany, which successfully launched in April 1995.

Launch and early history (1995–1997)

On 25 August 1995, it was confirmed that The Disney Channel would launch in the UK and Ireland on 1 October 1995. The channel, broadcasting daily from 6 am to 10 pm on channel 26 and sharing with Sky Movies Gold on the

Astra 1B Astra 1B was the second of the Astra communications satellites launched and operated by SES (Société Européenne des Satellites) to add extra capacity to the satellite television (direct broadcasting) services from 19.2° East, serving Germ ...

satellite service, was subscription-only and free of advertising. Its programming was designed for all family members and included dramas, comedies, cartoons, documentaries, and films from Disney's archives, including the UK television premiere of ''

The Jungle Book ''The Jungle Book'' is an 1894 collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who ...

''. Mellors Reay & Partners handled the channel's launch advertising, with media services managed by BBJ Media Services Ltd. The Disney Channel's studios and broadcast facilities were initially located at

Teddington Studios Teddington Studios was a large British television studio in Teddington, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, providing studio facilities for programmes airing on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky One and others. The complex also prov ...

. In late 1996, they were relocated to

Stephen Street Stephen Brian Street (born 29 March 1960 in Hackney, London) is an English record producer best known for his work with the Smiths, the Cranberries and Blur. Street collaborated with Morrissey on his debut album '' Viva Hate'' following the ...

, where Thames Television's original headquarters had been. Pearson plc provided playout and transmission services for the channel. Within two weeks of its launch, Disney Channel UK began discussions with the

Independent Television Commission The Independent Television Commission (ITC) licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom (except S4C in Wales) between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003. History The creation of ITC, by the Broadcasting Act ...

(ITC) regarding the promotion of Disney products and services on the channel. Although the channel did not carry traditional advertising, the ITC proposed clear breaks for self-promotion, marked by the on-screen Disney Consumer Arcade motif. In July 1997, the ITC criticised Disney Channel's marketing practices, noting that it was offered for free to cable customers already subscribing to premium film channels. Disney Channel agreed to make adjustments, including increasing programme continuity and launching Disney Channel UK Live, a new live block.

Launch of sister channels (1998–2005)

On 2 March 1998, Disney Channel UK became available as a separate premium channel on Sky and cable operators. To promote this, Disney Channel offered three days of free programming from 21 to 23 March 1998. Paul Robinson was appointed managing director on 6 December 1998, overseeing day-to-day operations. On 15 February 1999, Disney Channel introduced a nightly movie slot at 7 pm, which saw a 300% increase in viewership after a promotional campaign featuring a lounge set with Disney-themed decor. The channel's schedule was restructured on 1 September 1999, introducing a

Playhouse Disney Playhouse Disney was a brand of programming blocks and international cable and satellite television channels that were owned by the Disney Channels Worldwide unit (now Disney Branded Television) of The Walt Disney Company's Disney–ABC Tele ...

-branded preschool block and various programming changes. On 29 September 2000, Disney Channel launched three extra channels: two sister channels Playhouse Disney and

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� ...

, and a 1-hour timeshift service called Disney Channel +1. These additions aimed to cater to different age groups and programming needs. The Playhouse Disney programming block continued to air until July 2004. In May 2001, Disney Channel introduced Studio Disney UK, a live block featuring interstitials between programmes. On 30 June 2001, the channel closed on Sky's analogue service, transitioning to digital. By 2002, Disney Channel UK moved to new facilities at Chiswick Park. On 17 August 2004, Disney Channel Play, a games service, was launched on Sky Gamestar. In September 2004, the channel expanded to a 24-hour service.

Switch to basic cable services (2006–2020)

On 16 March 2006, Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney shifted from premium channels to basic-level subscription packages.

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 ...

replaced Toon Disney, while Disney Channel +1 returned in June 2006. In late 2007, Disney Channel joined Sky's Picnic service, which later became Now TV in 2012. In January 2009, Disney Channel UK launched an in-house sales team for commercial deals while remaining advertising-free. The channel began broadcasting in widescreen format in May 2010 and adopted a new logo in September 2011, with an HD version launching on Sky and

UPC Ireland Virgin Media Ireland is Liberty Global's telecommunications operation in Ireland. It is the largest digital cable television provider within the country. the company offers broadband internet, digital television digital (VoIP) telephony and ...

. By 2012, Encompass took over as the playout provider for Disney Channel. On 1 July 2013, Disney Channel and Disney Junior began carrying advertising. Disney Cinemagic closed on 27 March 2013, with the channel relaunched as Sky Movies Disney. Disney Channel was removed from Now TV in 2016, and

Nat Geo Wild National Geographic Wild (shortened as Nat Geo Wild and abbreviated NGW) is a global pay television network owned by National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (73%) and the National Geographic Society (27% ...

replaced it on the original slot. Disney+ replaced internet service DisneyLife in March 2020, no longer including linear television channels.

Closure (2020)

On 3 June 2020, Disney announced that David Levine, vice president of children's programming for Disney's British, European, and African channels, and general manager for Disney Channel UK, would leave the company on 30 June 2020. On 25 June 2020, it was announced that Disney Channel UK would close on 1 October 2020, following the launch of Disney+ in the UK. The channel, along with Disney Junior and Disney XD, closed down at midnight BST on 1 October 2020, exactly 25 years after its launch. The YouTube channel for Disney Channel UK remained active. The final programme aired was the 2019 film ''

Descendants 3 ''Descendants 3'' is an American musical fantasy television film, being the third installment in the ''Descendants'' series, following '' Descendants'' and '' Descendants 2'', and the last one in the film trilogy focused on Mal ( Dove Cameron) ...

''. The channels were removed from Virgin Media on 29 September, and

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 ...

took over their Sky EPG slots on 1 October. In November 2020, Disney returned its broadcast licenses for Disney Channel UK, Disney XD UK, and Disney Junior UK to

Ofcom The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, internet, telecommunications and mail, postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom has wide-rang ...

, with new European licenses being handled by Spain's CNMC due to

Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...

. Sky Cinema Disney also closed on 30 December 2020, making Disney+ the primary source for Disney movies in the UK and Ireland. Following Fox UK's closure in 2021,

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

and

BabyTV BabyTV (stylised as Baby''tv'') is a multilingual, international television channel for babies, toddlers and preschoolers aged 4 or lower. In Israel, the channel is owned and operated by Talit Communications while The Walt Disney Company Lim ...

were the only Disney-owned pay television channels in the UK. After Disney Channel UK's shutdown, Disney vacated its Chiswick Park building, returning it to the landlord in June 2021. Disney continues to operate its EMEA headquarters in

Hammersmith, London Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. It ...

Programming

The channel's programming primarily consisted of syndicated shows from its American counterpart, but it also featured UK and Irish series such as '' The Lodge'', '' Stick with Me, Kid'', and '' Sadie Sparks''. Disney Channel UK also aired a variety of local programming, including ''

Life Bites ''Life Bites'' is a British adaptation of the Italian series '' Life Bites – Pillole di vita'' by Disney Channel Italy. It premiered on 6 September 2008. The show series looks at the everyday adventures of Chloe and Harvey, who are brother and ...

'' (a localized version of ''

Life Bites – Pillole di vita ''Life Bites – Pillole di vita'' is an Italian television series broadcast on Disney Channel Italia from 2007 to 2013. A situation comedy aimed at teenagers, the show's protagonists are Giulia (played by Valentina Colombo) and her brother Teo ( ...

''), ''

As the Bell Rings ''As the Bell Rings'' is a Disney Channel short franchise, based on the original Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney ...

'' (a localized version of ''

Quelli dell'intervallo ''Quelli dell'intervallo'' () is an Italian sitcom produced by Disney Channel Italy. The show focuses on kids as they chat and get into unexpected situations while at a window in their school. After Disney's success with the show, the idea was r ...

''), '' Hannah-Oke'' (a karaoke series featuring songs from ''

Hannah Montana ''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cy ...

''), '' Get the Look'', ''

First Class Chefs ''First Class Chefs'' is a British television cooking series that airs on Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Brande ...

'', ''Access All Areas'', and '' Royal Ranch''. In March 2014, Disney Channel announced ''Evermoor'', a multi-part movie filmed in the UK and later developed into ''

The Evermoor Chronicles ''The Evermoor Chronicles'' is a British television series that aired on Disney Channel (UK and Ireland), Disney Channel. It was produced by Lime Pictures with filming taking place in the spring of 2014. The series premiered on 10 October 2014 o ...

'' television series. It became the first long-form British series to air on the American Disney Channel. The series was produced by

Lime Pictures Lime Pictures, formerly known as Mersey Television, is a British television production company, founded by producer and writer Phil Redmond in the early 1980s. It produces drama and entertainment shows for the international market, including ' ...

and Disney's EMEA television studio. On 18 March 2019, Disney Channel UK premiered ''

101 Dalmatian Street ''101 Dalmatian Street'' is a British animated television series created by Miklos Weigert that premiered on Disney Channel in the UK and Ireland from 18 March 2019 to 22 February 2020. It is produced by Passion Animation Studios and animated b ...

'', a locally produced animated series inspired by Disney's ''

101 Dalmatians 101 Dalmatians may refer to: * '' The Hundred and One Dalmatians'', a 1956 novel written by Dodie Smith * 101 Dalmatians (franchise), a Disney film franchise based on the novel ** '' One Hundred and One Dalmatians'', a 1961 animated film based on ...

'' franchise and

Dodie Smith Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith (3 May 1896 – 24 November 1990) was an English novelist and playwright. She is best known for writing '' I Capture the Castle'' (1948) and the children's novel '' The Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1956). Other work ...

's original novel. The series was developed by Disney's London animation team, Passion Animation Studios, and Atomic Cartoons.

Sky Cinema Disney

Toon Disney was launched in the UK on 29 September 2000. The channel was rebranded as Disney Cinemagic on 16 March 2006. It rebranded to Sky Movies Disney on 28 March 2013 and then to Sky Cinema Disney in 2016. The channel closed on 31 December 2020 with content moving to

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 ...

Logos

file:1986 Disney Channel logo.svg, 1995–1997 file: 1997 Disney Channel logo.jpg, 1997–2003 file:2002 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2003–2011 file:2010 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2011–2014 file:2014 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2014–2017 file:2017 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2017–2020

References

External links

* * {{Children's channels in UK & Ireland Disney television channels in the United Kingdom British and Irish Children's television channels in Ireland Children's television channels in the United Kingdom English-language television stations in the United Kingdom English-language television stations in Ireland Television channels and stations established in 1995 1995 establishments in Ireland 1995 establishments in the United Kingdom 2020 disestablishments in Ireland 2020 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Television channels and stations disestablished in 2020 Defunct television channels in the United Kingdom