Huge Freeview Reshuffle: 60 Channels Are Changing

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60 Freeview channels are about to change their numbers, in one of the most extensive reshuffles Freeview has ever seen (see the complete list of changes below).

The numbering changes will take place on January 26, 2022.

This is due to the return of the linear version of BBC Three on February 1, 2022, which will air on Freeview Channel 23 in SD, and Freeview Channel 109 in HD.

The list of affected channels includes ITV4, 5Star, HGTV, Freesports, CBS Reality, NOW 80s and many others.

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

While many of these channel changes will also take place on other platforms – such as Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media – those devices can make channel changes automatically.

However, it does mean that some of the channels you know will move on these other TV platforms as well, and not just on Freeview.

Family watching Freeview Play 1200
Photo: Freeview

Freeview, established back 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).

We often see minor Freeview channel changes throughout the year, but the last major one was in November 2020, when more than 30 channels had to move in order to give BBC Four a more prominent place on the channels list.

This time, the big shakeup is happening due to BBC Three, which is returning to linear TV for the first time since its closure in 2016 (when it changed to a streaming-only channel, via BBC iPlayer).

BBC Three logo

The youth-oriented channel will broadcast daily from 7 pm and be available on Freeview (and YouView), Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.

Some of the new content coming to BBC Three includes RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK Versus The World, Series 2 of the critically-acclaimed international hit romcom Starstruck as well as live football.

When Ofcom approved the return of BBC Three, it also agreed to change the prominence rules, assuring the new channel gets a place among the first 24 EPG channel numbers.

Therefore, to make room for BBC Three on Freeview, 60 other channels are changing places. 

Freeview Channel Changes – The Full List

As mentioned, BBC Three will air on Channel 23 (in place of Dave Ja vu channel).

Here’s the official list of changes:

Current No. New No. Channel name
23 25 Dave Ja vu
24 No change BBC FOUR
25 26 ITV4
26 27 Yesterday
27 28 ITVBe
28 29 ITV2 +1
29 30 E4+1
30 31 4Music
31 32 5STAR
32 33 Paramount Network (5Action)
33 34 GREAT! movies
34 35 ITV +1
35 36 Pick
36 37 QVC Beauty
37 38 QVC Style
38 39 DMAX
39 40 Quest Red
40 41 CBS Justice
41 42 GREAT! movies action
42 43 Food Network
43 44 HGTV
44 45 Gems TV
45 46 Channel 5+1
46 47 Film4+1
47 48 Challenge
48 49 4seven
49 50 GREAT! tv
50 51 Ideal World (TJC now on 22)
51 52 GREAT! movies classic
52 53 TG4
53 54 RTÉ One
54 55 RTÉ Two
55 56 5SELECT
56 57 Smithsonian Channel
57 58 ITVBe+1
58 59 ITV3+1
59 60 ITV4+1
60 61 GREAT! movies +1
61 62 GREAT! tv +1
62 63 GREAT! movies classic +1
63 64 Blaze
64 65 FreeSports
65 66 TBN UK
66 67 CBS Reality
67 68 CBS Drama
68 69 Horror Channel
69 70 QUEST+1
70 71 Quest Red+1
71 72 Jewellery Maker
72 73 Shopping Quarter
73 74 Drama +1
74 75 Yesterday+1
75 76 NOW 70s
76 77 NOW 80s
77 78 TCC
78 79 NOW 90s
79 80 Clubland TV
80 81 Blaze+1
81 82 TalkingPictures TV
82 83 Together TV

More Freeview Changes

As of January 19, the Paramount Network channel is changing its name to 5Action (without any changes to its content or air times).

5Action date

And as detailed above, On January 26, the newly named 5Action will move from its current Channel 32 to Channel 33.

Furthermore, Ideal World Channel is trading places with the Tjc shopping channel.

Therefore, on January 19, Ideal World will move from Channel 22 to Channel 50. Then, on January 26, it will move to Channel 51 as part of the big reshuffle.

Tjc is moving to Channel 22 on January 19 (and will remain there even after January 26).

Retune Your Freeview Device

Once these changes take place (usually at mid-day, on January 26), you will need to retune your Freeview device, or else the channel numbers and names won’t be correct.

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

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

20 thoughts on “Huge Freeview Reshuffle: 60 Channels Are Changing”

  1. I don’t understand why BBC 3 didn’t go back to Freeview 7, as it has never been used since they ceased transmission – at least in my area.

    Reply
  2. With 4K the supposed next generation of broadcasts and most new TVs 4K ready, why is HD not the ‘standard’ Freeview transmission with all channels?

    OK, not everybody has mega large TVs, but SD broadcasts on even an average 40″ screen is so 1990’s.😏

    Reply
  3. It’s about time subtitles were included in all programs.
    Currently if you have a hearing problem you have about 25 stations that have subtitles.
    The tv license is still the same price for people with hearing problems, even though you can only enjoy a quarter of the channels

    Reply
  4. It’s about time the tv Broadcasters like the BBC ITV CH4 CH5 and Sky sort out their HD Channels on freeview and move them into the SD numbering slots like 1 2 3 4 5 for example and give itv 4+1 some broadcasting hours, what the point of this channel when it does not even broadcast, waste of space to be honest.

    Reply
    • Can’t be done yet as there are still many older receivers out there that cannot receive HD, moving the HD channels to 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. would cause issues for those who still have non-HD receivers – give it a couple of years and these receivers will probably be gone and the numbers can be changed.

      Reply
    • can’t agree with that really. A lot of people cannot even receive the HD channels. The massive con trick of HD ready TVs saw to that. Amazingly they still sell a lot of them and stilly trying to con people into thinking they are full HD.

      Reply

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