Virgin Media viewers lost a free TV channel overnight... but gained access to the UK's first dedicated 24/7 rugby channel. The shake-up applies to those with a TiVo, TV V6, or Virgin TV 360 set-top box connected to their telly.
Let's start with the bad news — the cooking-focused channel Tastemade has vanished from boxes nationwide. Available on Channel 232, Tastemade was one of the first batch of FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) channels to be served-up on Virgin Media's hardware at no extra cost.
These channels, which don't need to charge a subscription since they're funded entirely by ad breaks, are beamed to viewers' screens via broadband instead of the cable connection traditionally used by Virgin Media's TV lineup.
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Tastemade's schedule was packed with popular reality shows, like Gordon Ramsay's Festive Home Cooking, Mad Good Food, The Curious Chef, Gok's Fill Your House For Free, Travel Mad: 48-Hours In..., Chaats Of India, Days Of Gluttony, and many more.
The removal of Tastemade comes after several high-profile disappearances from the TV Guide. Last year, five long-running music channels from Channel 4 were closed across Virgin Media, Sky TV, and Freeview. The decision to shutter 4Music, The Box, Kiss, Kerrang and Magic was made as Channel 4 shifted to prioritise streaming services and newer technologies, like the £3,500 Vision Pro from Apple.
These closures were followed by London Live, which stopped broadcasting after 10 years on-air.
However, it's not all bad news for subscribers as Virgin Media has recently added the complete lineup of Premier Sports channels. This includes Premier Sports Rugby, the first dedicated 24/7 rugby channel, which offers viewers access to the most comprehensive club rugby coverage available across the UK.
Available on Channel 553, Premier Sports Rugby represents a first for the set-top box — and the UK.
Virgin Media is offering viewers £5 off the new channel for a limited time. You can start watching for just £10 a month for the first three months — a saving compared to the £15.99 standard subscription fee. The subscription unlocks access to Premier Sport 1, Premier Sport 2, and Premier Sports Rugby.
Premier Sports Rugby provides viewers with access to the Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, and the United Rugby Championship.
The new channel also broadcasts some of the biggest games from the TOP14 rugby competition. Sports fans can enjoy two live games from every round of the Japanese Rugby League One competition.
The channel will also broadcast the best Major League Rugby matches from the United States.
If you're not a die-hard rugby fan, the remaining channels in the Premier Sports lineup offer access to an array of football action including Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup, and La Liga.
Discussing the new arrival, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, David Bouchier said: "The expansion of our Premier Sports offering to include the brand-new 24/7 rugby channel, demonstrates our commitment to further enhancing our sports offering and providing something for all of our customers to enjoy – from football and rugby to hockey and motorsport, we’ve got sports fans covered."
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The introduction of Premier Sports Rugby follows the release of 32 FAST channels on Virgin TV throughout the last year. Virgin Media recently added channels including Redbull TV on Channel 556, and Wonder on Ch. 238.
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