Virgin1
Second Virgin1 logo | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |
|
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
| Timeshift service | Virgin1+1 / Channel One +1 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Virgin Media Television (2007–2010) Living TV Group (British Sky Broadcasting) (2010–2011) |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 October 2007 |
| Replaced | Ftn |
| Closed | 1 February 2011 |
| Replaced by | |
| Former names | Channel One (2010–2011) |
Virgin1 was a British free-to-air entertainment television channel owned and operated by Virgin Media Television, later known as Living TV Group. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 21:00, intended to rival BSkyB's Sky One. Virgin Media Television had spent on acquiring major franchises as well as commissioning new TV programmes in time for the channel's launch.
The channel was broadcast on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky platforms. Virgin1 managed to achieve good ratings within a year of launching. Its broadcast hours were then extended to 24 hours, and a one‑hour time-shift, Virgin1+1, was launched, from 20 May 2009. Virgin1 received a refreshed logo along with a mascot, Red, in June 2009.
BSkyB acquired the channel on 4 June 2010 and, as a result, it was rebranded to Channel One on 3 September 2010. On 15 September 2010, BSkyB announced that it would close Channel One and sister channels Bravo and Bravo 2, which had also been purchased. Channel One closed on 1 February 2011 at 06:00 UTC and its slot was replaced by Challenge on Freeview and Sky Atlantic on Sky.