channels in the united kingdom and ireland . for the channel in australia and new zealand see bbc uktv . for the international channel formerly known as granada uktv see itv choice . this article has multiple issues . please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . learn how and when to remove these template messages this article s tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on wikipedia . see wikipedia s guide to writing better articles for suggestions . february 2012 learn how and when to remove this template message this article needs additional citations for verification . please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . unsourced material may be challenged and removed . may 2011 learn how and when to remove this template message learn how and when to remove this template message uktv type joint venture industry mass media founded 26 march 1992 ; 24 years ago 1992 03 26 headquarters 10 hammersmith grove london united kingdom area served united kingdom ireland key people darren childs ceo services television online parent bbc worldwide 51 % scripps networks interactive 49 % website uktv.co.uk uktv is a multi channel broadcaster jointly owned by bbc worldwide and scripps networks interactive . it was formed in 26 march 1992 through a joint venture between bbc and thames television . it is one of the united kingdom s largest television companies . uktv s channels are available via digital satellite and cable subscriptions in the uk and ireland . dave drama really and yesterday channels are also available in the uk on freeview the free to air digital terrestrial television dtt service . most programmes on the channels are repeat broadcasts of bbc productions although the entertainment channels also feature some programmes produced by other companies and uktv have also in recent years commissioned a tiny minority of their own exclusive programmes . the channels themselves are played out by red bee media from their broadcast centre in west london . the uktv channels have broadcast in widescreen since 31 january 2008 although some programmes originally made in 16 9 format are screened in the compromise 14 9 semi letterbox format . contents 1 history 1.1 origins 1992 1997 1.2 the launch of the uktv network 1997 1.3 digital expansion 1998 2007 1.4 network rebrand 1.5 scripps networks interactive acquisition 1.6 bt vision deal 1.7 uktv corporate rebrand 2013 2 commercials on uktv channels 3 channels 3.1 present 3.2 uktv play 3.3 former channels 3.4 operating names 4 hd channels 5 see also 6 references 7 external links history edit origins 1992 1997 edit uktv started as a single channel uk gold . the original partners behind the channel were the bbc s commercial arm bbc enterprises and the itv contractor thames television although before the launch the american cable operator cox enterprises stepped in and took a majority share 65 percent in exchange for underwriting the costs of launching the channel . uk gold launched on 1 november 1992 showing reruns of classic archive programming from the archives of the bbc and thames . in a sense uk gold succeeded british satellite broadcasting s galaxy channel that had originally held these rights from the bbc . later on united artists holding europe stepped in as part owner and that ownership eventually became a part of flextech which was controlled by the u.s. cable company tele communications inc. tci . in 1993 flextech gained its first stake in the station after acquiring tci s tv interests in europe . 1 in 1996 it started discussions about increasing its stake to gain full control ; at that point flextech held 27 % with cox 38 % bbc 20 % and pearson 15 % . 2 by the autumn flextech held 80 % of uk gold . 3 4 flextech s main reason for increasing its stake in uk gold was in partitioner of new talks with the bbc . 5 the launch of the uktv network 1997 edit during 1996 flextech and the bbc held talks about a partnership to launch a new range of channels under the name uktv . 3 bskyb tried to compete against flextech for the right to develop the bbc channels but the bbc were against inviting bskyb to participate in the pay tv venture . it is understood that bskyb would have sought a significant share in the planned channels in exchange for agreeing to offer them to its 3.8 million direct to home satellite subscribers . it was believed at the time that if sky intentions were spurned bskyb could have elected to develop competing channels in advance of the flextech bbc launch particularly arts and documentaries as a spoiling tactic . 6 the deal between flextech and bbc was completed and signed in march 1997 . initially it was assumed that the new channels would be bbc branded bbc showcase for entertainment ; bbc horizon for documentaries ; bbc style for lifestyle ; bbc learning for schools and bbc arena for the arts plus three other channels including bbc catch up for repeats of popular programmes within days of their original transmission a dedicated bbc sport channel and a tv version of radio 1 . 7 flextech wanted these channels to carry advertisements but the bbc argued that bbc branded services in the uk should not carry advertising as the bbc s domestic tv channels are non commercial publicly funded in the uk by a mandatory licence fee . the bbc thought that this would undermine the rationale of the licence fee in the uk . a compromise was reached ; bbc showcase and bbc learning renamed bbc choice and bbc knowledge respectively before launch would go ahead as bbc channels without commercials while the deal with flextech was passed to bbc worldwide with a control split 50 50 8 thus allowing the remaining channels to carry advertisements . the uk prefix was chosen for these new channels to capitalise on the success of uk gold as the brand by then had become a household name . the uktv network launched on 1 november 1997 with three new channels ; arts channel uk arena lifestyle channel uk style and documentary channel uk horizons . uk gold retained its name but received a new look in line with the rest of the network . although the new network didn t use the bbc name and logo its graphics and branding was in other aspects similar to the ones used by the bbc channels . the new graphics for the bbc and uktv were both designed by the same company lambie nairn . shortly before launch it was decided the channel uk living also owned by flextech was to be renamed living instead of becoming part of the new uktv network due to the similarity in programming between the channel and uk style . on the same date uk gold celebrated its 5th anniversary . digital expansion 1998 2007 edit this chart shows how the channels have developed over the years . with the launch of digital television in the uk brought about by sky digital and ondigital in 1998 two new channels were launched to broadcast on the new platforms uk gold classics a sister channel to uk gold showing older shows previously shown on uk gold and uk play a new comedy and music channel . uk gold classics was short lived however and relaunched as uk gold 2 in april 1999 . the new channel time shifted the morning schedule of uk gold from 7 pm for those who could not watch it at the original time . popular at first it dwindled in ratings after a few years . citation needed in order to boost its popularity uk play was renamed play uk and given a new look and new style of logo in november 2000 which the rest of the uktv channels would adopt the following july . in november 2001 uk style s food programming was moved to a new channel named uk food . the rebranding of play uk failed to make the channel more popular and on 30 september 2002 it was shut down . october saw the launch of the new free to view digital terrestrial platform freeview replacing itv digital and with it the new history channel uk history which was included in freeview s license to operate the platform . uk history took many of the history related programming from uk horizons . in january 2003 uktv launched a lifestyle channel for freeview called uk bright ideas . however uk bright ideas was not created for the same reasons as uk food and uk history to allow other uktv channels to have more time to schedule other programming but instead showed a mix of programming from uk style and uk food and later uktv gardens for freeview viewers in order to promote the lifestyle uktv channels available on pay platforms . uk gold 2 was relaunched with a completely new schedule and style as ukg2 on 12 november 2003 taking on some output similar to what used to be on play uk before its closure initially broadcasting from 8pm each night before later expanding to daytime . on 8 march 2004 the network carried out a major rebranding scheme where all of the uktv channels changed their prefixes from uk to uktv . uk horizons was split into two channels uktv documentary and uktv people . in 2005 the last new channel under the uktv branding was launched uktv style gardens later renamed in 2007 to uktv gardens . like uk food it allowed uk style to focus more on its more home oriented programming . network rebrand edit uktv logo from 2009 to 2013 not seen on screen like the previous and successor logos . in 2007 uktv g2 was renamed dave and began broadcasting on freeview replacing uktv bright ideas seen as an experiment in branding for the network . the name is said to be originated from the fact that everyone knows a bloke called dave and that the name seems appropriate for a male orientated channel . on 11 june 2008 uktv announced that it was beginning the process of rebranding its channels from generic uktv prefixed names to individual and separate brands after the successful launch of dave . 9 10 the first stage of this rebranding began on 7 october 2008 when uktv gold was renamed g.o.l.d. later gold and dropped its mixed entertainment schedule for pure comedy programming . uktv drama became the crime drama channel alibi and a new general entertainment channel called watch was launched . it was with this rebrand that non crime drama such as doctor who and jonathan creek was transferred to watch . g.o.l.d. was on one level a continuation of the gold name used since the channel s creation but the letters also made up the channels new slogan go on laugh daily . 2009 saw the rebranding of all of the remaining channels beginning in january with uktv documentary s rebrand to eden the name reflecting the nature programmes premiering on the channel . this was followed in february with uktv people becoming blighty the new channel containing programming of the lives of the british population and the quirks of british society and therefore explaining the slang name for britain as the channel name . in march uktv history was rebranded as yesterday reflecting the channel s history themed programming . this was closely followed in april by the re brand of uktv style to home the new channel retaining the previous diy shows and home makeovers and also including the programming from uktv gardens ; however this programming would follow a few weeks later in may when uktv gardens was closed . its channel slot was taken by really a new female and reality channel similar to virgin