Disney Channel (British and Irish TV channel) facts for kids
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|
| Country | United Kingdom Republic of Ireland |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Chiswick, England |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 576i for the SDTV feed) |
| Timeshift service | Disney Channel +1 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company Limited Disney Channels Worldwide (Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International) |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 October 1995 |
| Closed | 30 September 2020 |
| Former names | The Disney Channel (until 1 March 1997) |
| Availability (at time of closure) |
|
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media (UK) |
Channel 724 Channel 725 (+1) TV Choice On Demand |
| Virgin Media Ireland | Channel 613 Channel 633 (HD) |
| Satellite | |
| Sky (UK & Ireland) | Channel 609 (SD/HD) Channel 610 (+1) Channel 644 (SD) |
| IPTV | |
| TalkTalk Plus TV | Channel 480 |
| BT / YouView | Channel 480 On-demand |
| Plusnet | Channel 480 |
| Eir Vision | Channel 609 |
| Streaming media | |
| Sky Go | Watch live (UK and Ireland only) |
| Virgin TV Anywhere(UK) | Watch live (UK only) |
| Virgin TV Anywhere (Ireland) | Watch live (Ireland only) |
Disney Channel was a popular TV channel for kids and families in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It showed Disney shows and movies for 25 years, from October 1, 1995, until September 30, 2020. There was also a special channel called Disney Channel +1. It let you watch shows an hour later. Disney Channel had two other channels, Disney Junior and Disney XD.
Contents
Why Did Disney Channel Close?
On June 25, 2020, Disney announced that Disney Channel would close. Its sister channels, Disney XD and Disney Junior, also closed. This happened on October 1, 2020, exactly 25 years after the channel first started.
Moving to Disney+
The main reason for the closure was that Disney could not agree on new deals with TV providers like Sky and Virgin Media. Because of this, all the shows and movies from Disney Channel moved to Disney+. This is Disney's own streaming service.
The Final Broadcast
The very last show aired on Disney Channel was the 2019 movie Descendants 3. After the movie, a music video called I Want This from the series Raven's Home was shown. Then, the channel's logo appeared and stayed on screen for a few seconds before the channel went off air.
Channel Changes
The Disney channels were removed from Virgin Media on September 29. On October 1, the channels CBBC and CBeebies took over their old spots on Sky's TV guide.
What Shows Were On Disney Channel?
Most of the shows on Disney Channel came from its American version. These included popular cartoons and live-action series.
British-Made Shows
Sometimes, the channel also showed series made in the UK. Some of these British shows included:
Interactive Features for Viewers
Disney Channel used to have a special interactive service on Sky. Viewers could press the red button on their remote control. This allowed them to find out more about their favorite shows.
What You Could Do
With the red button, you could:
- Learn about characters.
- See detailed TV schedules.
- Play fun quizzes.
- Read messages sent in by other viewers.
Studio Disney Live Show
Studio Disney was a live TV show broadcast on Disney Channel UK. It started in September 1997 as Disney Channel UK Live. It was then relaunched as Studio Disney on April 23, 2001.
Show Details
The show had many presenters, including Nigel Mitchell and Emma Lee. Studio Disney was on weekdays, usually from 4 PM to 7 PM. It competed with similar shows on CBBC, CITV, and Nickelodeon.
Interacting with the Show
During Studio Disney, viewers could call in to talk to the presenters. They could also take part in games and win prizes. The show also made its own short programs. These included Wish Upon a Star and Junior Journo. Studio Disney stopped broadcasting on July 1, 2005.
"Star Ticket" Music Contest
In 2002, Studio Disney created a music talent show called "Star Ticket". The goal was to find five young singers, aged 11-14. They would form a pop band and perform at the Disney Channel Kids Awards 2002.
How the Contest Worked
Auditions were held in cities like Edinburgh, London, Cardiff, and Liverpool. Viewers could vote for their favorite band members. They also voted for the band's name and the song they would sing. The winning group was called X5 (pronounced times five). They recorded a song called "Beyond the Stars" and made a music video.
Disney Channel Website
The Disney Channel website offered lots of information and fun. It had games, interactive features, and ways to contact the channel.
Website Changes Over Time
The website was fully made using Adobe Flash from May 1, 1999. In May 2003, it was redesigned to look like other Disney Channel websites around the world. In 2007, it was added to disneychannel.co.uk. The homepage was updated to match the American site's look. It was revamped again in September 2011 to go with the channel's new logo.
How Disney Channel Looked
The Disney Channel in the UK changed its look and logo several times over the years.
Early Logos and Idents
In October 1995, the first logo was a simple Mickey Mouse head. It had "The Disney Channel" written below it. Six short animations, called "idents," were made for this logo. In February 1997, the channel dropped "The" from its name. It got a new logo when Disney Channel France launched.
The "Circles" Logo
In 1999, Disney Channel updated its look again. It launched a new "Circles" logo. This logo used symmetrical circles to form the famous Mickey Mouse head shape. New CGI animations were created for this identity. Different objects would come together to form the Disney Channel logo.
Creative Design
A French design company called GÉDÉON created this new look. They described the new logo as a "field for animation experiments." Over 30 artists, animators, and designers worked on the project. When this new look first launched, nine different idents aired on the same day. Some of these idents were also used on its sister channel, Playhouse Disney.
See also
In Spanish: Disney Channel (Reino Unido e Irlanda) para niños
