Disney Junior Relaunching In The UK By November 13th

Remember when Disney shut down all its UK children’s channels back in 2020, telling us Disney+ would be the “exclusive home” for everything? Well, plot twist – Disney Jr is coming back to Sky next week.

The preschool channel launches on Thursday, November 13, joining the Sky Kids pack alongside Nick Jr., Cartoon Network, and Sky’s own ad-free kids channel.

It’s a move that would have seemed utterly bizarre five years ago, when Disney was adamant that streaming was the future and linear TV was dead.

Clearly, things have changed.

How We Got Here

Disney Jr has had quite the journey in British television. It started life way back in 1997 as “Disney Channel Underfives” – a programming block for preschoolers on the main Disney Channel.

By 1999, it became Playhouse Disney, and a year later in September 2000, it launched as its own standalone channel on Sky Digital.

If you’re of a certain age, you might remember the live presenters – Dave Benson Phillips and Alex Lovell, known as Big Dave and Little Alex – hosting shows from “the Playhouse”, a colourful set that looked like something out of a Fisher-Price catalogue.

In 2006, Playhouse Disney moved from being a premium add-on to basic Sky packages, and viewing figures shot up. Families clearly loved it.

The channel was rebranded as Disney Jr in May 2011 as part of a worldwide rebrand, and it kept going strong – adding HD in 2013 and even going 24/7 in 2017.

Then Everything Changed

In June 2020, Disney dropped the bombshell. All three of its UK children’s channels – Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Jr – would shut down on 1st October 2020.

The official line was that Disney and Sky couldn’t agree on a new carriage deal. But really, Disney was going all-in on Disney+, which had launched in the UK just six months earlier.

The Disney Channel on Disney Plus

“From October 1st, Disney+ will become the exclusive home for content from Disney Channel, DisneyXD and Disney Jr in the UK,” Disney announced.

And that was that. On September 30, 2020, Disney Jr’s final programme was Gigantosaurus.

After a few promos and a Vampirina music video, the channel cut to a still image of Mickey Mouse, Animal from Muppet Babies, and Vampirina, before vanishing from channel 605 and 606 on Sky.

Virgin Media had already pulled the plug a day earlier. CBBC and CBeebies moved into Disney’s old channel slots, and it genuinely felt like the end of an era.

We all thought that was it – Disney was done with traditional TV in the UK.

What Changed?

Fast forward to 2025 – and it seems Disney’s “streaming-only” strategy hasn’t quite worked out as planned.

Disney+ has seen its growth slow down. Prices have more than doubled since launch – from £5.99 to £14.99 for the premium tier. And the streaming wars have become a bloodbath, with every company scrambling for subscribers.

Earlier this year, Disney did something that would have been unthinkable in 2020 – they struck a deal with ITVX to put premium Disney+ shows like The Bear and Andor on ITV’s free streaming service.

ITVX Disney library

That was the first sign that Disney was willing to play ball with other platforms again.

Now, with Disney Jr returning to Sky, it’s clear Disney has realised that keeping everything locked behind a subscription paywall might not be the smartest move.

Traditional TV still has value – especially for parents of young kids, who often prefer the simplicity of just turning on a channel rather than navigating through yet another streaming app.

And – it gives viewers a taste of what they can find on Disney+.

The Kids TV Apocalypse

The timing of Disney Jr’s return is fascinating, because UK children’s television is currently in crisis.

Just yesterday, we reported that the Pop family of channels – Pop, Tiny Pop, and the rest – are shutting down on Sky and Virgin Media this December. Pop on Freeview is becoming streaming-only.

POP Player

Why? According to Pop’s owner, “commercial value across the UK kids’ TV market is now just 4% of what it was ten years ago.”

CITV shut down in September 2023. With Pop now leaving traditional platforms, the BBC’s CBBC and CBeebies were set to become the only free-to-air linear children’s channels left in the UK.

So Disney Jr coming back to Sky – while everyone else is running away from kids’ TV – is somewhat surprising.

But then again, Disney isn’t relying on advertising revenue like Pop was. Disney Jr will be part of the paid Sky Kids pack, and it’s effectively a shop window for Disney+ subscriptions.

What You Need To Know

Disney Jr HD launches on Sky Satellite, Sky Glass and Sky Stream on November 13. Sky hasn’t confirmed the channel number yet.

The channel will be part of the Sky Kids pack, which now includes 10 live channels – including the ad-free Sky Kids channel, Nick Jr., Cartoon Network, and now Disney Jr, plus on-demand content.

You’ll be able to watch Disney Jr via the TV guide or on demand on all Sky devices, as well as the Sky Go app.

And before you ask – yes, Disney Jr content will still be on Disney+ as well. This isn’t replacing the streaming option, it’s just giving families another way to watch.

We’ve reached out to Virgin Media to ask whether Disney Jr will also return to their Kids pack, but we haven’t heard back yet. We’ll update this article when they respond.

So What’s Next?

Does this mean Disney Channel and Disney XD could come back too? Who knows. For now, Disney seems to be testing the waters with Disney Jr – which makes sense, given that preschoolers and their parents are probably the demographic most likely to appreciate traditional linear TV.

Originally posted by Cordbusters

Channel Closure: BET And MTV Base Will Stop Airing On DStv From 31 December 2025

Paramount is in the process of shutting down some of its linear operations in Europe and Africa by the end of 2025. This includes music brands like MTV Base alongside the black focused entertainment channel, BET both of are seen on MultiChoice's DStv.

MTV Base was launched in Africa by February 2005 offering content from local and African artists. Since it's inception, MTV Base had been regarded as #1 music network in West Africa which is where most of its relevance resided.

BET followed by September 2014 offering a mixture of reality shows, drama series, sitcoms and movies. As it began bolstering it's local portfolio, BET started garnering prestige with shows like Queendom drawing in over 200,000 viewers part of which had to do with its expansion to DStv Access.

With both channels shutting down soon, MultiChoice would not only be losing two more channels but the international content slate would further diminish. BET very much like M-Net and Universal TV boasted shows like Sistas, Abbott Elementary and Empire.

MultiChoice very much Paramount in this regard is putting their focus on core brands in an effort to bolster their streaming endeavours. This included directing content from 1Magic and Me to M-Net and Showmax.

Unlike 1Magic and Me where most consumers could view select content on Universal TV, Bravo and Mzansi Magic. In BET's case, this pipeline is closing and the only other way to view similar international titles is to upgrade to a higher package.

As for shows like MTV Shuga and Having Faith on MTV Base, it's unclear whether these will resurface on MTV or get phased out. Paramount does offer a localised feed for MTV unlike it's children's channels which is conjoined to other European markets.

Last month, MultiChoice became a subsidiary of Canal+ which is set to boast about 10,000 hours of African content. The plan is to merge MultiChoice's existing catalogue with that of StudioCanal so it's likely something could come out of this perhaps to even fill the void from BET.

SABC Has Revived Top Billing For It's 2026 Content Slate

The SABC is celebrating the return of South Africa's classic 'love it or hate it' magazine show, Top Billing.

The luxury lifestyle show was cancelled in 2019 after 25 years on our TV screens.

The Top Billing comeback was announced during a reunion event featuring former presenters, at a swanky seaside Cape Town hotel.

The show has partnered with Corona to bring viewers a Reunion Special on Thursday 27 November at 7pm on S3. 

Weekly episodes are set to return in March 2026, also available on SABC Plus.

The reunion is the perfect way to bring the show back and segue into what's in store in 2026, says Themba Gwejela, Group Executive for Corporate Affairs and Marketing at the SABC.

"We bring back the familiar faces for the reunion, and are also throwing back in terms of creating excitement around what people can look forward to next year. I think South Africans have really missed Top Billing."

He gives the assurance that, in line with the Top Billing tradition, they will also be introducing new talent to the show.

Canal+ And SuperSport To Broadcast AFCON In More Than 40 Countries Across Africa

CANAL+ is proud to announce that its MultiChoice subsidiary, SuperSport, has secured broadcast rights for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025™ (TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025™) for English and Portuguese-speaking African countries.

When the 35th edition of the tournament kicks off in Morocco on 21 December 2025, CANAL+ will become the first global broadcaster to bring viewers the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025™, the massive African football showpiece, in French, English, Portuguese and local indigenous languages.

It means the broadcaster will offer CANAL+ and SuperSport viewers the most comprehensive football viewing experience that any sports broadcaster has ever managed to accomplish for Africa’s greatest football competition.

The group made the announcement on 06 November 2025 that SuperSport has concluded a broadcast rights deal with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the right to broadcast the tournament in English and Portuguese-speaking Sub-Saharan African territories.

CANAL+ Africa CEO, David Mignot, said: “CANAL+ Africa CEO, David Mignot, said: “Our newly-formed merger with the MultiChoice Group has already unlocked opportunities and benefits for our customers. And this year’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 is a great demonstration of the power and potential of this common ambition: bringing together our expertise to offer unprecedented coverage.

"Moreover, broadcasting this competition in different languages is a strong way to build closeness with our viewers. For all these reasons, our subscribers will be part of the most spectacular celebration of African football."

CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, said: “This is an exciting day for CAF and for African football. When the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Morocco in December, Africans everywhere — on the continent and across the diaspora — will be watching with pride. Millions will follow the games on television, celebrating the best that African football has to offer.

“In Ivory Coast, the last AFCON attracted approximately 1.5 billion viewers globally. We anticipate that this edition will be an even greater success, reaching new audiences and inspiring the world once again. When 180 nations express interest in broadcasting AFCON, it is proof that the world is excited about African football.”

CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, said: “[CAF to insert quote]”[SM1]

Rendani Ramovha, Director of Sport Content English and Portuguese-speaking Africa for MultiChoice, (a CANAL+ company), said: “We are especially proud to be able to bring the story of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025™, live to all our viewers in English and Portuguese-speaking Sub-Saharan African territories.

"SuperSport has been the preferred choice for millions of passionate fans across the continent, and this tournament won’t be different, as we will have a dedicated SuperSport AFCON channel.

“As part of the CANAL+ Group, we can take that viewing experience to another level, which means people can expect more compelling viewing, brought to them in a language of their choice. It is truly poised to be a celebration of African glory.”

Viewers will be able to view SuperSport’s coverage of Morocco 25 on DStv and GOtv, while CANAL+ subscribers will enjoy the action on CANAL+ Sport and on demand using the CANAL+ app.

In Nigeria and surrounding regions, fans can enjoy the matches in English or Pidgin, while Swahili is available in East African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. In Angola, South Africa and Mozambique, fans have become accustomed to enjoying the beautiful game in Portuguese on SuperSport, which will be available during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025™.

South Africans, meanwhile, will also enjoy games in isiZulu and Setswana on top of the standard English and Portuguese commentary.

CANAL+ and SuperSport’s coverage of the tournament will include stellar line-ups of star analysts, commentators, presenters and African football legends, who will bring their unique takes on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025™.

Hundreds of millions of viewers can see their favourite African heroes in action, including the likes of Victor Osimhen (Nigeria), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Ronwen Williams (South Africa), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) and Achraf Hakimi (Morocco).

Comcast Looking To Make A Bid For Both Warner Bros. Discovery And UK Based Broadcaster ITV

Comcast’s European pay-TV business Sky is in talks to acquire U.K. TV giant ITV’s media and entertainment (M&E) unit.

In a statement early Friday morning London time, ITV said it “is in preliminary discussions regarding a possible sale of its M&E business to Sky for an enterprise value of £1.6 billion,” which translates to $2.1 billion.  

The M&E business includes ITV’s commercial free-to-air TV channels in the U.K., as well as its ITVX streaming platform. Its revenue for the first nine months of 2025 was down 5 percent from the year-ago period to £1.45 billion ($1.90 billion).

Not part of a deal would be production powerhouse ITV Studios, which produces such shows as Love Island, Britain’s Got Talent, and the Harlan Coben Netflix hit series Fool Me Once, among many others. ITV Studios has been the topic of much deal chatter in recent years, with the likes of Banijay, All3Media parent RedBird IMI, and others being cited as potential buyers.

Sky is led by CEO Dana Strong. It not only operates pay-TV and streaming businesses in the U.K., Ireland and Italy, but has also been growing its telecom offerings, such as broadband and mobile phone operations. Sky also owns the production arm Sky Studios, which is led by Cécile Frot-Coutaz and has been growing its investment in original content creation. Recent Sky Studios productions have included the likes of Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, starring Harvey Keitel, and The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.

While confirming overnight reports of deal talks, ITV on Friday also emphasized that a transaction for its M&E division with Comcast’s Sky may ultimately not come together. “There can be no certainty as to the terms upon which any potential sale may be agreed or whether any transaction will take place,” its statement highlighted. “A further announcement will be made in due course if appropriate.”

lTV is led by CEO Carolyn McCall. The news of the deal talks came after ITV said on Thursday that it was planning $46 million in “temporary,” or “one-off,” cost savings amid “softer” advertising demand in the fourth quarter.

Comcast’s potential play for parts of ITV comes at a time when it also seems to be exploring a potential bid for parts of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Overnight reports said that Comcast has hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to evaluate a possible deal for the David Zaslav-led Hollywood conglomerate’s studio and streaming businesses, following WBD’s recent decision to explore various deal options.