Virgin Media loses access to UKTV channels

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The company is blaming the restrictions put on UKTV by the BBC.

From today, Virgin Media customers will no longer be able to access popular UKTV channels via their set-top box.

The BBC holds back some on-demand rights to its programming, selling them on to on-demand companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. But according to a report in The Express, these restrictions now mean UKTV is no longer able to supply Virgin Media with the on-demand programming (which includes channels like Dave, Gold and Yesterday) it requires.

Virgin Media's Chief Digital Entertainment Officer David Bouchier said, "from Sunday [July 22nd], all UKTV channels and programmes will be replaced... Virgin Media has had a long relationship with UKTV, but viewing behaviours amongst our customers are changing".

Virgin is replacing the lost UKTV channels with HD content from the Paramount Network, YourTV and Love Nature. It's also making its Premier Sports HD channel available free to all its customers for two months.

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Simon Lucas

Simon Lucas is a freelance technology journalist and consultant, with particular emphasis on the audio/video aspects of home entertainment. Before embracing the carefree life of the freelancer, he was editor of What Hi-Fi? – since then, he's written for titles such as GQ, Metro, The Guardian and Stuff, among many others.