Virgin Media customers were left horrified when they suddenly lost 10 popular channels – but help is at hand.
ED! told you this weekend how viewers were threatening to quit after learning they were no longer able to watch UKTV channels via the cable television service.
But experts say there is a way to get some of your channels back right now.
If your TV was made after 2010, it includes the free service ‘Freeview’ built in.
It gives you access to 85 channels without paying a penny.
Simply connect your TV to an aerial. Once up and running, you can tune your TV to pick up the channels.
Freeview will give you back half the channels you’ve lost, including Dave, Really Drama, Home and Yesterday, as well as a whole host of others you didn’t get through Virgin in the first place, such as CBS Action, More 4, Tiny Pop and the Travel Channel.
And don’t panic if you have an older TV, because you can buy a Freeview box for around £35.
Money expert Martin Lewis also posted his own video on Twitter to guide worried subscribers.
2min guide for Virgin Media customers annoyed about loss of UK TV channels pic.twitter.com/LC3t5aoEI6
— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) July 23, 2018
This weekend’s shocking move from the broadcaster saw free-to-air channels including Dave, Drama, Home, Really and Yesterday, along with paid-for channels Gold, Alibi, Eden, Good Food and W all replaced on Sunday morning.
Subscribers are also no longer able to access UKTV on-demand services via their Virgin Media sets.
David Bouchier, chief digital entertainment officer at Virgin Media told the Mirror: “From Sunday all UKTV channels and programmes will be replaced on Virgin TV.
“Virgin Media has had a long relationship with UKTV, but viewing behaviours amongst our customers are changing and we are committed to investing in the kind of programming they want to watch, whenever and however they want to watch it.
“Unfortunately, due to the restrictions put on UKTV by the BBC, UKTV is not able to provide the significant on-demand programming that we know our customers want.
“We are still in discussions with UKTV but we have already invested in an extensive collection of replacement high-quality programming for our customers to enjoy.
Read more: Four million UK viewers to lose 10 popular TV channels
Viewers reacted with understandable anger.
Some have declared they’ll be cancelling their subscriptions, while others threatened to abandon the digital cable TV provider if the popular channels were not restored.
One Twitter user wrote: “@virginmedia @UKTV Will be cancelling TV, broadband & all phones as soon as we can get through to someone at Virgin!! Think they might be busy with a lot of angry customers.”
Another said: “@virginmedia So this looks like the end, 15 years a customer and you’ve messed up big time. Sky shop Wednesday unless you fix it #SaveDave”.
We’ve worked with @VirginMedia since its launch in 2006, supplying @Davechannel, @Goldchannel, @Wchannel, and more. We’re so sorry for the viewers who may miss our channels, but demands for price cuts mean we can't continue our partnership. More from UKTV’s Steve North: pic.twitter.com/NEkxgwuYfB
— Official UKTV (@UKTV) July 20, 2018
A third posted: “Bye bye Virgin, you have shown that loyal customers mean nothing to you. I did not sign up to these rubbish channels you have now provided, after losing UKTV because of your greed, the blame is 100% in your court.”
Read more: Viewers threaten to QUIT Virgin Media after losing 10 channels overnight
Come on Virgin, get it sorted!
Have you been affected by these changes? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.