Travel Channel, HD version of Animal Planet exit Sky

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief

Published: June 30 2020 | 07:27

Last updated: June 30 2020 | 07:32

Discovery is to drop the Travel Channel and the HD quality version of Animal Planet from Sky from tomorrow.

Discovery is to withdraw the Travel Channel and the HD version of its flagship nature channel Animal Planet from Sky effective tomorrow.

The surprise reduction in services comes a week after Discovery announced a new carriage deal with Sky for continued provision of its channels across Europe, as well as launching Ultra HD coverage in time for the 2021 Olympics on Eurosport.

Travel Channel has been operating in the UK since 1994 and came under Discovery's control in 2018 but will exit Sky tonight, with its EPG slot of 178 being taken by sister service Home and Health.

It is understood that the channel will continue to broadcast via Virgin Media for the time being, although the removal from Sky hints at a longer-term strategy to phase out the channel.

Meanwhile, the HD version of Animal Planet - launched on Sky in 2013 - will also disappear tonight, to be replaced by a lower quality SD version on EPG number 162.

The reason for the move is unclear - again, the HD version is expected to remain on Virgin Media - and comes just weeks after Sky launched its own competing channel, Sky Nature, with Ultra HD programming on offer.

Also leaving Sky tonight is the premium LGBTQI channel OUTtv, which has been forced to close after just three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.