Five Festive Freeview Channels Are Changing This Week

With Christmas now over (sorry), six dedicated Freeview channels – such as That’s TV Xmas, Now Christmas and more – are reverting back to their regular names and programming on January 4, 2022.

Some of these channels are also available on Freesat and the pay-TV platforms – where the same changes will occur (see below for the full details).

As always, this change means some viewers will need to retune their Freeview devices in order to keep the Electronic Programmes Guide (EPG) up to date – though some devices can do this retune automatically (See our recommended Freeview recorders here).

The Freeview service, which was established in 2002, is the United Kingdom’s terrestrial television platform.

It provides free-to-air TV channels and radio stations (via a Freeview aerial – see the ones we recommend), including more than 80 standard and HD channels (See our full Freeview guide here).

Last year Freeview merged with Freesat – a similar service that relies on satellites and a dish outside your house – and the two are now owned and operated by the same company.

Christmas Channels Returning To Normal

Every year, a few weeks before Christmas, several channels wear their festive jumpers and change their names and programming, for schedules filled with Christmas specials and music.

With the holiday season now behind us, the channels are changing back this week (though there will be no changes to broadcast hours).

It’s also worth mentioning that music channel The Box, which is available on Sky, Virgin Media and was also added to Freesat last month – has already reverted back from Box Christmas to The Box.

These are the channels that will change on January 4:

That’s TV Xmas Changing To That’s TV Gold

Freeview Channel 91 (Most areas), 7 and 8 in Some areas / Freesat Channel 178 / Sky Channel 187

Back in November, That’s TV Gold changed to That’s TV Xmas, a channel dedicated to nostalgia and entertainment.

Its main new offering was episodes of The Benny Hill Show, returning to national TV for the first time after two decades.

It also featured Beadle’s About – a sensational Saturday night hidden camera show which was a staple of ITV schedules from 1986 to 1996

On January 4, the channel will revert back to That’s TV Gold, with its regular schedule of entertainment, music and films from the 60s to today.

According to That’s TV Gold’s current schedule, it seems Benny Hill and Beadle’s About will remain on the regular channel.

Update: we have confirmed with That’s TV that these shows will indeed stay on the channel for the time being.

GREAT! Movies Christmas Changing To Great! Movies Classic

Freeview Channel 51 / Freesat Channel 303 / Sky Channel 319

Great! Movies Classic was formerly known as Sony Movies Classic, but changed when Sony sold off its roster of Freeview channels earlier this year. 

For Christmas, the channel switched to Great! Movies Christmas, with a schedule of classic Christmas films – and is now reverting back to its usual name and schedule.

Great! Movies Classic is the home of timeless cinema and modern movie making, with quality films available for repeated enjoyment.

The channel’s +1 version (Freeview Channel 62) will also revert back to GREAT Movies Classic +1.

Now Christmas Changing To Now 80s

Freeview Channel: 76

This one’s a bit confusing – during the festive season, NOW80s moved to Freeview Channel 78, where it replaced NOW 90s (but only in Manchester).

The channel (which is also available on Virgin Media (347) and Sky (362) aired non-stop Christmas music during the festive season, and will now revert back to Now 80s on its usual channel number.

The NOW80s channel broadcasts 24/7, and is all about music from the ’80s, with a lot of synth-pop, soft rock and new romantics. 

NOW 80s Changing To NOW 90S

Freeview Channel: 78 (Manchester Only)

To complete the change, NOW 90s will now come back (in Manchester) to its regular 78 spot, with NOW 80s returning to its usual spot – 76.

Retune Your Freeview Device

As usual, these channel changes may require a retune on your device – otherwise, your electronic channels list may not be up to date.

Some devices do a retune automatically, but others require a manual retune.

You can find more information on how to retune your device, on Freeview’s retuning help section.