A new free-to-watch entertainment channel is coming to both Freeview and Freesat (as well as the pay-TV platforms like Sky and Virgin Media) – E4 Extra.
The new channel, owned by Channel 4, will be a spinoff of E4 – the existing entertainment channel that focuses on younger audiences (16-34), and will launch on June 29.
Aiming at those age groups, E4 Extra will air new acquisitions as well as programmes moving over from E4 and from Channel 4, such as:
- Batwoman
- The Big Bang Theory
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Undercover Boss USA
- Ninja Warrior Japan
- The Inbetweeners
- Derry Girls
The new channel will also be the UK exclusive home of the second series of reality vogueing competition, Legendary, exploring the world of ball culture with celebrity judges including Jameela Jamil and Megan Thee Stallion.
The existing E4 channel is not going away and will retain other youth-oriented programmes such as Hollyoaks and Young Sheldon.
Freeview And Freesat Changes: E4 Extra / 4Music
Once E4 Extra launches on June 29, at 7am, it will bring with it several channel changes on Freeview and Freesat (as well as the pay-TV platforms).
The new E4 Extra will take the spot of another Channel 4 property – 4Music.
4Music currently features music videos as well as general entertainment TV programmes, such as The Goldbergs, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Couples Come Dine With Me and more.
At the moment, 4Music is located on Freeview Channel 31 and Freesat Channel 181 – which is where E4 Extra will end up on after June 29.
But 4Music will not disappear completely – instead, it will take the place of the Box Hits music channel – which is being shut down.
However, since Box Hits is only available on Freesat (Channel 501), Sky and Virgin Media – it appears 4Music is going away for Freeview viewers, but we’re waiting for final confirmation on this.
Along with the slot transfer (on Freesat and Sky/VM), 4Music will also return to its roots, and become a music-only channel, showing non-stop music videos.
So, to conclude:
E4 will remain on Freeview Channel 13, Freesat Channel 122, Sky Channel 135, Virgin Media Channel 145
E4 Extra will be on Freeview Channel 31, Freesat Channel 181, Sky Channel 139, Virgin Media Channel 337
4Music will be on Freesat Channel 501, Sky Channel 354, Virgin Media Channel 336
Karl Warner, Head of Youth and Digital at Channel 4 said: “4Music started life as a music channel, but it has changed over time in line with audience demands offering a blend of E4 flavoured comedy and entertainment.
“So E4 Extra feels like a natural evolution, strengthening the E4 brand and optimising the content mix between the channels”.
More Freeview Changes Coming
The E4 Extra reshuffle on June 29 is only the first in a long list of upcoming Freeview changes.
The changes are due to the closure of a Freeview Multiplex (COM7) that is set to happen on June 30.
Many other Freeview channels are also expected to move, change or even shut down completely by the end of June due to the COM7 closure, with exact details set to be announced later this month.
The first major change, that was announced last week, is the upcoming closure of BBC News HD on Freeview, with BBC Four and BBC CBeebies switching to a different multiplex.
Retune Your Freeview Device
As always, once these changes take place, you may need to retune your Freeview device, or else the channel numbers and names won’t be correct.
Some Freeview boxes (see the one we recommend) do this retune automatically. The exact date when all these changes are set to take place will be announced later this month.
You can find more information on how to retune your device, in Freeview’s retuning help section.
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I don’t receive Freesports, bbc4 hd, qvc hd, quest hd, forces tv, and a few others all because my mast in aberdare dosmt support the mux it’s on, and we all pay the same licence fee to bbc
I’m guessing Freesports is of the EPG Menu on freeview then as I can’t get the Channel during the Summer months due to weak signal, it about time the Channels switch over to High Definition TV, it been ten years since the end of analogue TV. How long the Minority of people going to keep their old set top tv for. Time to switch over to HDTV.