38-530: Undercover Coach is a British television short show airing on Disney Channel UK . It will follow the paths of five UK sporting stars as they surprise fans and budding athletes on their doorsteps. It premiered on 12 December 2008 as part of the Wizard Blizzard brand. It is shown on weekends. There is also an Australian short version of this series that premiered on Disney Channel (Australia) on 5 May 2009. There are 17 episodes. This article about
76-452: A capacity she would hold until March 30, 2007, being replaced by Margit Furseth. Playhouse Disney also premiered two new original series, Stanley and The Book of Pooh , in 2001. Radio Disney cross-promoted the block by rebranding its "Mickey and Minnie's Tune Time" block as "Playhouse Disney", and in 2002, the TV block's "Feet Beat" interstitials were renamed " BB 's Music Time" to promote
114-649: A different schedule. On May 26, 2010, Disney-ABC Television Group announced the launch of Disney Junior, a relaunching of Playhouse Disney that would serve as the brand for the Disney Channel block and a new standalone digital cable and satellite channel in the United States, as well as the new brand for the existing Playhouse Disney-branded cable channels and program blocks outside the US. The Playhouse Disney block ended its 14-year run on February 13, 2011, with
152-990: A live block featuring interstitials between programs. On 30 June 2001, the channel ceased broadcasting on Sky’s analog service, transitioning to digital. By 2002, Disney Channel UK moved to new facilities at Chiswick Park. On 17 August 2004, Disney Channel Play, a games service, was launched on Sky Gamestar . In September 2004, the channel expanded to a 24-hour service. On 16 March 2006, Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney shifted from premium channels to basic-level subscription packages. Disney Cinemagic replaced Toon Disney, while Disney Channel +1 returned in June 2006. In late 2007, Disney Channel joined Sky’s Picnic service, which later became Now TV in 2012. In January 2009, Disney Channel UK launched an in-house sales team for commercial deals while remaining advertising-free. The channel began broadcasting in widescreen format in May 2010 and adopted
190-594: A multi-part movie filmed in the UK and later developed into The Evermoor Chronicles TV series. It became the first long-form British series to air on the American Disney Channel. The series was produced by Lime Pictures and Disney's EMEA television studio. On 18 March 2019, Disney Channel UK premiered 101 Dalmatian Street , a locally produced animated series inspired by Disney's 101 Dalmatians franchise and Dodie Smith 's original novel. The series
228-462: A new logo in September 2011, with an HD version launching on Sky and UPC Ireland . By 2012, Encompass took over as the playout provider for Disney Channel. On 1 July 2013, Disney Channel and Disney Junior began carrying advertising, and Disney Cinemagic was closed, with Disney’s movie content moving to Sky Movies Disney . Disney Channel left Now TV in 2016, and Nat Geo Wild replaced it on
266-451: A relaunch that signified the beginning of its full conversion into a commercial-free basic cable channel, and its preschool block now utilized a similar graphics package for its promotions as that used for the channel's afternoon children's programs. After Disney Channel's preschool block premiered three new original series in 1998 ( PB&J Otter , Rolie Polie Olie , and Out of the Box ),
304-447: A sports television series is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article relating to a television programme from the UK is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Disney Channel UK Disney Channel was a British-Irish children's pay television channel owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company . Active from 1 October 1995 to 1 October 2020,
342-512: A variety of local programming, including Life Bites (a localized version of Life Bites – Pillole di vita ), As the Bell Rings (a localized version of Quelli dell'intervallo ), Hannah-Oke (a karaoke series featuring songs from Hannah Montana ), Get the Look , First Class Chefs , Access All Areas , and Royal Ranch . In March 2014, Disney Channel announced Evermoor ,
380-575: The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode "Mickey's Big Surprise" as its first program, mainly featuring a mix of original series and programs held over from the Playhouse Disney library (which largely aired as part of the channel's overnight schedule until mid-2014 when over time, more Playhouse Disney shows were taken off the air completely after premiering their series finales and ceased to air in reruns). Disney Junior took over
418-621: The Sky Digital platform. On April 4, 2009, Egmont Group launched a companion Playhouse Disney magazine in the United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland that focused on the channel's four most popular shows: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse , My Friends Tigger & Pooh , Handy Manny and Little Einsteins . Each issue included "to do" pages and suggested activities for parents and children based on an educational theme. The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel UK & Republic of Ireland
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#1732783759146456-575: The Disney Junior brand over the next three years, concluding with the rebranding of the Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel Russia on September 1, 2013. Prior to Playhouse Disney's launch, Disney Channel had aired a lineup of preschool-targeted programs to compete with Nick Jr. (which were mixed alongside animated series aimed at older children) during the morning hours since its debut in April 1983. On April 6, 1997, Disney Channel underwent
494-688: The Radio Disney block. On June 25, 2001, Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group (now Disney-ABC Television Group) announced plans to launch Playhouse Disney Channel, a companion digital cable and satellite channel that would have served the same target audience as the Disney Channel block; plans for the network were later scrapped, although Disney-ABC International Television would launch dedicated Playhouse Disney channels and blocks in international markets (including Canada, Afro-Eurasia and Latin America ) between 2002 and 2007. The Walt Disney Company acquired
532-499: The UK TV premiere of The Jungle Book . Mellors Reay & Partners handled the channel’s launch advertising, with media services managed by BBJ Media Services Ltd. The Disney Channel's studios and broadcast facilities were initially located at Teddington Studios . In late 1996, they were relocated to Stephen Street , where Thames Television's original headquarters had been. Pearson plc provided playout and transmission services for
570-547: The United States as a morning program block on the Disney Channel . Aimed mainly at children at two to five years of age, its programming featured a mix of live-action and animated series . The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel was rebranded as the Disney Junior block on Disney Channel on February 14, 2011. The remaining channels and blocks using the Playhouse Disney brand outside the US relaunched under
608-568: The United States. In 1989, Disney Channel UK was set to become the first international Disney Channel with support from Sky Television , a former British satellite TV company. The channel was to feature promotional material for Sky Television and the Astra satellite. However, a proposed joint venture between Disney and Sky Television fell through. Disputes over decision-making responsibilities led to Sky suing Disney for £1.5 billion in damages. Disney argued that it sought more influence over decisions and
646-680: The block officially launched as Playhouse Disney on February 1, 1999. One of Playhouse Disney's most popular series was Bear in the Big Blue House , which debuted on October 20, 1997; the series was named by TV Guide as one of the "top 10 new shows for kids" that year. For the first three years of its run, the Playhouse Disney block originally aired each weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time , and weekends from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Following each program, which usually ran 23 minutes (most of which, except for films, aired without promotional interruption),
684-535: The block's demographics) alongside – beginning in 2002 – underwriter sponsorships (with companies such as McDonald's ) within breaks between programs (preschool-targeted programs that aired between 3:00 and 7:00 a.m. Central Time outside of the Playhouse Disney banner, included the promotional shorts for Disney entertainment products that were seen during Disney Channel's afternoon and nighttime schedule). On September 30, 2002, Playhouse Disney changed its logo to reflect Disney Channel's on-air rebranding. As part of
722-427: The block's effort to phase out its older interstitial material, it introduced a mascot that month named Clay (voiced by Debi Derryberry ), an anthropomorphic clay figure who often used the catchphrases "It's true!" and "Are you with me?" On March 31, 2007, Ooh and Aah, two puppet monkeys (who served as the main characters for one of the short series featured on the Playhouse Disney lineup, Ooh, Aah & You ) became
760-468: The broadcast rights to The Wiggles as part of their purchase of the Fox Family Channel in 2001; The Wiggles moved to Playhouse Disney in June 2002 and became one of the block's most watched shows during its run. Like Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney was a commercial-free service, but it did show short "promotional spots" (structured as short-form segments for Disney products targeted at
798-481: The channel served young audiences in the region. This iteration is distinct from the original namesake American channel of the same name, which remains operational. During its operation, Disney Channel was supported by a one-hour timeshift channel, Disney Channel +1 , available on Sky and Virgin Media . At the time of its closure, it had two sister channels: Disney Junior and Disney XD , which also originated from
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#1732783759146836-589: The channel space held by the Disney-owned soap opera -focused channel Soapnet , largely due to that channel's existing subscriber reach (being carried in 75 million households with pay television). An automated Soapnet feed remained in operation for providers that did not yet reach agreements to carry the Disney Junior channel or providers that were required to continue carrying Soapnet in addition to Disney Junior until Soapnet fully ceased operations by going quietly dark on December 31, 2013, at 11:59 pm, following
874-594: The channel. Within two weeks of its launch, Disney Channel UK began discussions with the Independent Television Commission (ITC) regarding the promotion of Disney products and services on the channel. Although the channel did not carry traditional advertising, the ITC proposed clear breaks for self-promotion, marked by the on-screen Disney Consumer Arcade motif. In July 1997, the ITC criticized Disney Channel’s marketing practices, noting that it
912-421: The last program to air being an episode of General Hospital . On September 28, 1999, the Playhouse Disney brand was extended internationally with the launch of a self-branded block on Disney Channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On September 29, 2000, Disney Television International expanded the block with the launch of a channel in the country alongside the launch of Toon Disney and Disney Channel +1 on
950-545: The last program to air being an episode of the short series Handy Manny's School for Tools at 8:55 a.m. Eastern Time. The Disney Junior block debuted on February 14, 2011, with the Little Einsteins episode “Fire Truck Rocket” as its first program. Several former Playhouse Disney series were carried over to the relaunched block including Mickey Mouse Clubhouse , Special Agent Oso , Imagination Movers , Handy Manny , and Little Einsteins . With
988-694: The launch of Disney+. The channel, along with Disney Junior and Disney XD, ceased broadcasting at midnight BST on 1 October 2020, exactly 25 years after its launch. The YouTube channel for Disney Channel UK remained active. The final program aired was the 2019 film Descendants 3 . The channels were removed from Virgin Media on 29 September, and CBBC and CBeebies took over their Sky EPG slots on 1 October. In November 2020, Disney returned its broadcast licenses for Disney Channel UK, Disney XD UK, and Disney Junior UK to Ofcom , with new European licenses being handled by Spain's CMNC due to Brexit . Sky Cinema Disney also closed on 30 December 2020, making Disney+
1026-545: The official hosts of the block, replacing Clay. Every summer since 2007, Playhouse Disney's end time was truncated to four hours on weekdays (from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time). Episodes from Disney Channel's original series were aired during the late morning and early afternoon hours. However, the weekend schedule continued to air for seven hours. By 2010, the Playhouse Disney block had expanded to air from 4:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays, and 4:00 to 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on weekends, each running
1064-463: The original slot. Disney+ replaced internet service DisneyLife in March 2020, no longer including linear TV channels. On 3 June 2020, Disney announced that David Levine, vice president of kids programming for Disney's British, European, and African channels, and general manager for Disney Channel UK, would leave the company on 30 June 2020. On 25 June 2020, Disney Channel UK was set to close following
1102-689: The primary source for Disney movies in the UK and Ireland. Following Fox UK's closure in 2021, National Geographic and BabyTV were the only Disney-owned pay TV channels in the UK. After Disney Channel UK’s shutdown, Disney vacated its Chiswick Park building, returning it to the landlord in June 2021. Disney continues to operate its EMEA headquarters in Hammersmith, London . The channel’s programming primarily consisted of syndicated shows from its American counterpart, but it also featured UK and Irish series such as The Lodge , Stick With Me, Kid , and Sadie Sparks . Disney Channel UK also aired
1140-586: The relaunch of the block, the block's mascots Ooh and Aah were retired and several of its older programs were entirely discontinued (however, Ooh and Aah & You was later briefly available on the Disney Junior website as a part of the Fan Favorites week of July 18, 2011 and was also later carried in reruns on the Disney Junior cable channel). Additionally, its episodes are available on Disney Junior's YouTube channel as of January 6, 2011. The 24-hour Disney Junior cable channel debuted on March 23, 2012, with
1178-399: The remainder of the time period was filled by either short segments and music videos (the latter of which were originally aired under the banner "Feet Beat") or an episode of an acquired short series. On April 16, 2001, Playhouse Disney received a new rebrand produced by motion graphics company Beehive; actress Allyce Beasley began serving as the U.S. block's promo announcer at this time,
Undercover Coach - Misplaced Pages Continue
1216-764: Was appointed managing director on 6 December 1998, overseeing day-to-day operations. On 15 February 1999, Disney Channel introduced a nightly movie slot at 7 pm, which saw a 300% increase in viewership after a promotional campaign featuring a lounge set with Disney-themed decor. The channel’s schedule was restructured on 1 September 1999, introducing a Playhouse Disney -branded preschool block and various programming changes. In 2000, Disney Channel launched three new sister channels: Playhouse Disney, Toon Disney , and Disney Channel +1. These additions aimed to cater to different age groups and programming needs. The Playhouse Disney programming block continued to air until July 2004. In May 2001, Disney Channel introduced Studio Disney UK,
1254-478: Was confirmed that The Disney Channel would launch in the UK and Ireland on 1 October 1995. The channel, broadcasting daily from 6 am to 10 pm on channel 26 and sharing with Sky Movies Gold on the Astra 1B satellite service, was subscription-only and free of advertising. Its programming was designed for all family members and included dramas, comedies, cartoons, documentaries, and films from Disney's archives, including
1292-494: Was developed by Disney’s London animation team, Passion Animation Studios, and Atomic Cartoons . Playhouse Disney Playhouse Disney was a brand of programming blocks and international cable and satellite television channels that were owned by the Disney Channels Worldwide unit (now Disney Branded Television ) of The Walt Disney Company 's Disney–ABC Television Group . It originated in
1330-514: Was eventually disposed of in July 2004 after reducing hours of programming. The Playhouse Disney channel available there, however, continued to air until it was replaced by Disney Junior on May 7, 2011. On November 30, 2007, Astral Media launched a Canadian version of Playhouse Disney Channel under a brand licensing agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group; the channel operated as a multiplex channel of Family Channel , which had long maintained
1368-449: Was offered for free to cable customers already subscribing to premium film channels. Disney Channel agreed to make adjustments, including increasing program continuity and launching Disney Channel UK Live, a new live block. On 2 March 1998, Disney Channel UK became available as a separate premium channel on Sky and cable operators. To promote this, Disney Channel offered three days of free programming from 21 to 23 March 1998. Paul Robinson
1406-491: Was set to debut in the autumn of 1995, would be available as a subscription service through a deal with British Sky Broadcasting . Subscribers to Sky’s movie package could receive The Disney Channel for free, while it was also offered as a standalone package. In January 1994, Disney announced a joint venture with CLT Multi Media to launch Super RTL in Germany, which successfully launched in April 1995. On 25 August 1995, it
1444-501: Was unwilling to fund its share of the venture. The lawsuit was eventually settled, and Disney sold its stake in the joint venture to Sky. As a result, Sky gained access to the Walt Disney Pictures movie library for five years. In December 1994, following the expiration of its agreement with Sky, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to independently launch The Disney Channel in the United Kingdom. The channel, which
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