Disney has decided to close all of its kids TV channels in the UK after carriage talks fell through with both Sky and Virgin Media.
The move does not affect Disney+, the premium streaming service which already has over 4 million UK subscribers since its launch in March, while the Sky Movies Disney channel is also expected to continue.
The Disney Channel has been part of the UK TV landscape since its launch in October 1995 and has two spinoff stations, Disney XD and Disney Junior.
According to Broadcast, Disney had been in talks with Sky and Virgin Media about new deals to continue carriage of the portfolio but in the end it was mutually agreed to just close down the channels this autumn.
Some content from the three channels will move to Disney+, while sister services National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild and FOX are unaffected by the decision and will continue to operate in the UK.
An exact date for the closure of the three Disney channels is currently unknown, although the existing carriage deal with Sky is thought to expire in mid-October.
Neil Wilkes
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