BBC Three makes its long-awaited return to TV screens today (February 1) and fans online have been reacting to the news.
The channel was taken off the airwaves in 2016, moving online in a bid to attract a younger audience with shows including the Sally Rooney adaptation Normal People.
Starting today, BBC Three will be broadcast from 7pm GMT every night on Freeview, Sky, Virgin and Freesat, as well as BBC iPlayer.
The channel’s return this evening will be celebrated with the launch of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Versus The World on at 9pm.
Ahead of that, there will be a special Radio 1 launch party for the channel. A statement said of the programme: “Greg James and Clara Amfo are throwing a party on Radio 1 because BBC Three is on TV. Join them and the stars of Drag Race UK and The Rap Game, [with] music from PinkPantheress.”
Other shows on launch night include Eating With My Ex, new comedy Lazy Susan and a re-run of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s hit show, Fleabag.
You: Hey #BBCThree, please can I get your number?
Us: Sure bbz.
Watch our NEW tele channel from 7pm on 1st Feb!
pic.twitter.com/dRieGvt8Wu
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) February 1, 2022
New look, new tele channel.
7pm tonight. TUNE IN!
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) February 1, 2022
Fans online have been reacting to news of the channel’s return – you can see some of these here:
BBC Three is coming back to TV?! Huge news, no idea why it was removed in the first place. #BBCThree
— Kieran Storrie (@Kizzchase) February 1, 2022
Welcome back, BBC Three. More programmes like this please… @bbcthree #BBCThree pic.twitter.com/5Amt3Wphpd
— Mark Braxton
(@BraxM) February 1, 2022
this has been a long time coming
but tonight after nearly 7 years#BBCThree is back on the proper tellybox
here's to the next generation of iconic shows
like the many that sprang out of the original version of the channel— Gordon G Donaldson (@gordygeorge88) February 1, 2022
Welcome back (7pm tonight) @bbcthree. I started my TV career in the Current Affairs team at BBC Three, so it has a special place in my heart. Looking forward to welcoming you back to your rightful place. #BBCThree https://t.co/cZkl8FFfDX
— Bushra Siddiq (@bushysiddiq) February 1, 2022
During the rest of the week, BBC Three will host live football coverage of the semi-finals and the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
“We know how popular sport is with younger audiences and it’s going to have a big part to play on BBC Three,” channel Controller Fiona Campbell said in a statement.
“‘AFCON is set to be an incredibly exciting tournament with some of the best players in the World on show and it’s brilliant news that we will be showing the climax of the competition on free to air television.”
Media regulator Ofcom investigated the potential impact of the channel’s return last year, after rivals raised concern it could take away viewers from other youth-focused broadcasters like Channel 4.
In a statement, Ofcom said last year: “Our job is to ensure that any change the BBC wishes to make to its publicly funded TV, radio and online services does not give it an unfair advantage over rival broadcasters.
“Having conducted a detailed analysis of the BBC’s proposal, we have provisionally concluded that the public value of BBC Three returning as a broadcast channel justifies the limited adverse market impact.”
You can see the full schedule for the channel here.
The post BBC Three viewers react to broadcast channel return appeared first on NME.
