Sunday, 23 March 2025

The Sun: Virgin Media customers warned of another channel closure in latest shake-up affecting millions of TV boxes

Story from The Sun:

Virgin Media customers are set to lose another channel in the latest overhaul to TV boxes.

The food and cooking channel launched in July 2023 as part of a major shift to increase the number of streamed TV channels. 

These channels are beamed onto screens via the internet instead of cable but appear on the electronic programme guide like any other station.

They're only available on Virgin TV 360, Stream and V6 boxes.

Tastemade was among the first FAST - free ad-supported TV - channels to be added to Virgin boxes at no extra cost.

But Virgin Media has confirmed to The Sun that the channel will disappear on March 31.

A spokesperson said: "We regularly review our streaming channel line-up so it might change from time to time to ensure it works best for our customers."

Tastemade will vacate its current spot at channel number 232.

Fortunately, Virgin Media has been bolstering its streamed channel offering.

The firm currently has around 30 but boss David Bouchier recently revealed that as many as 50 could land in the future.

"We took the decision that had technical and regulatory complications, but we took the decision that it had to sit in our EPG and our FAST channels do that," he told the Connected TV World Summit.

"We also heard about the importance of regional content, local appeal. We are not going for volume. We don’t need a volume of kind of faceless international channels.

"We’re fortunate with being an English language territory that we have a lot of library from UK producers who produce a lot of programming now and have very well-known program brands that are able to create very powerful thematic FAST channels for us."

Earlier this month, two channels were added to the line-up.

Wonder is the first, where viewers can find programmes on groundbreaking engineering, innovative technology, and scientific exploration.

And the second is Red Bull TV, which shows motorsport, biking, snowboarding, and more.

©News Group Newspapers Limited.