Sky Living was a British pay television channel owned and operated by Sky . The channel's programming was aimed mainly at women and young adults. It originally launched as UK Living .
53-725: UK Living began broadcasting on 1 September 1993, as part of the Sky Multichannels network, broadcasting for 18 hours a day, between 7am and 1am (changing in 1995 to 6am until midnight). It was originally owned by a three way partnership; former ITV London franchise holder Thames Television , Tele-Communications Inc. and fellow cable communications company Cox Enterprises , with a budget of £25million. By January 1994, Flextech (later known as Virgin Media Television and Living TV Group ), took over TCI's shares in UK Living as part of
106-416: A 2004 branding relaunch, the way the name was displayed changed to LIVINGtv . On 28 October 2002, LivingTV launched its first timeshift, LivingTV +1. The channel was a 1-hour timeshift of LivingTV. In a further change in 2007, the channel name reverted from LIVINGtv back to LIVING (still officially spelt all in capitals, though some media write the name in normal case). In 2009, the idents were changed to
159-410: A 3D logo, with glass on the side of the 'L' in either pink or blue. Other idents show the logo covered in paint, while Livingit adopted a slightly different appearance. On 1 April 2009, Living +2, a two-hour timeshift of the channel, launched. It lasted for 15 months and was replaced on 1 July 2010, ahead of the launch of Living Loves . On 12 June 2009, a high-definition version of the channel
212-514: A cohesive graphical and music appearance as idents featured the logo's newly-added "ring" forming out of swirling energy streaks while the text formed out of glass copies. The graphics were produced by American graphical firm Novocom, the look for Sky News resembling their earlier work for the CBS Evening News from 1991. A new music package from composer Frank Gari dubbed the Sky Symphony
265-511: A deal between the two companies By 1996, Telewest 's Flextech division gained full control, after buying out the now-defunct Thames and Cox Enterprises. Shortly afterwards the channel moved away from its reliance on BBC programming, and increase its output of American programming. In 1997, when the BBC and Flextech launched the UKTV Network: UK Style , UK Horizons and UK Arena , it
318-517: A decoder and a valid viewing card. In 1995, the number of Sky customers exceeded five million. Sky Sports 2 , Sky Soap and Sky Travel which launched on 3 October 1994 joined the package. By October and November 1995, the launch of Astra 1D allowed Sky to expand the Multichannels package further with the Sci-Fi Channel , Paramount Channel , Sky Sports Gold and History Channel , as well as
371-566: A further documentary entitled Yvette & Karl: Life begins at 40 was broadcast. From February to March 2009, Fielding appeared in the ITV1 variety TV show Saturday Night Takeaway . On 21 May 2009, Fielding appeared for a fourth time on The Paul O'Grady Show , and a day later, she appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross . In May 2009, Fielding appeared as a guest on the ITV talent show spin-off Britain's Got More Talent . In July 2009, Fielding
424-479: A haunted house. In October 2012, Fielding appeared on BBC Radio 2 and The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV1 talking about the paranormal and her ghost hunting career. In these interviews Fielding stated that she will return to Most Haunted in 2013. In 2014, Fielding once again returned to hosting Most Haunted , when a new series was produced for the Freeview channel, Really . In March 2013, Fielding appeared in
477-628: A hotel cleaner in Wilmslow, and a barmaid in Cheadle Hulme and Macclesfield. Fielding's first major role came in 1983 when she was cast in the children's BBC series Seaview . The comedy-drama show centred around a teenage girl called Sandy Shelton (played by Fielding), growing up living at her parents' guest house in Blackpool . The show ran for two series. Fielding later made a guest appearance in an episode of Juliet Bravo . In 1987, Fielding became
530-406: A month at launch, although those who signed up before 1 September 1993 could get the channels for £3.99 a month until the start of 1994. Additional packages including the multiple channels alongside one or more of Sky's premium channels were available from £11.99 to £19.99. The channels were encrypted using NDS Group 's VideoCrypt system, and viewing them required a monthly subscription payment,
583-559: A presenter on the BBC children's show Blue Peter . To date Fielding holds the record of being the youngest presenter on Blue Peter , starting on 29 June 1987 three months before her 19th birthday. While on the series Fielding also had an acting role in Last of the Summer Wine (making an appearance in the series while making a Blue Peter report on the show). During her time on the show, Fielding won
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#1732876631784636-605: A subscription card) prior to their addition to the Multichannels package. Within two months of the launch, Sky gained 400,000 new subscribers with the majority taking at least one premium channel, which helped BSkyB reach 3.5 million households by mid-1994. The service continued until the closure of BSkyB's analogue platform on 27 September 2001, due to the expansion of Sky Digital after its launch three years earlier. Channels added later include QVC (1 October 1993) and VH1 (1 October 1994). When VH1's German version started on 10 March 1995, VideoCrypt decoders would blank out
689-485: A transition from children's television to broadcasting for an older audience. After leaving What's Up Doc? Fielding presented The Heaven and Earth Show , The General and City Hospital for the BBC. She was a regular host of Karaoke Challenge and contributed weekend continuity for Challenge TV . Fielding also appeared in the ITV game show Win, Lose or Draw in 1995 and 1996. Fielding briefly returned to children's television in 1997, appearing in two episodes of
742-434: A week after her death followed by a further two tribute shows in 2010 and 2011. Other reality TV stars which hosted programmes on the channel at this time included Abigail Clancy , the runner up of Britain's Next Top Model (cycle 2) and model Katie Price . In 1995, sister network The Children's Channel introduced a morning strand for younger children called Tiny TCC. It aired every morning from 6am until 9am. This block
795-607: A wide range of other programmes, from The Wright Stuff to Through the Keyhole and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! . Fielding was born in Stockport and grew up in Bramhall where she attended Pownall Green Primary School and Bramhall High School . She attended Stockport Convent, Hillcrest Grammar School , Davenport and Dane Bank College in Crewe. As a teenager she worked as
848-515: Is an English television presenter, producer, actress, and writer. In 1987, aged 18, she became the youngest presenter on the BBC television programme Blue Peter . With her husband Karl Beattie , she presented the Most Haunted series on the Living channel, via their own production company, followed by Ghosthunting With... , establishing Fielding as 'first lady of the paranormal'. She has appeared in
901-534: The Celebrity Ghost Stories series for the bio channel, with the entire UK series of Celebrity Ghost Stories being produced by Fielding's Antix Productions company. Then in September 2011 Fielding presented another episode of Ghosthunting with... featuring the cast of The Only Way Is Essex . In April 2012, Fielding appeared in an episode of Olly: Life on Murs , in which she and Olly Murs visited
954-435: The BBC . A unique aspect was the repeats of programmes such as Kilroy , Good Morning with Anne and Nick , and Floyd , which were all shown within a week of being transmitted on mainstream television. In addition, the channel produced its own programmes, including a weekday flagship lifestyle show Live at Three , as well as various agony-style shows which were broadcast in the early afternoon or late at night. In 2001,
1007-805: The Disney Channel , Christian Channel Europe , European Business News , Television X and Playboy TV which were added to Astra 1C . QVC, which launched as part of the Multichannels package, switched to free-to-view broadcasting in this year. Channel 11 notes (up until October 1995): In 1996, Sky reached six million subscribers. New channels included Sky Sports 3 (replacing Sky Sports Gold), along with Sky 2 , Computer Channel , Granada Sky Broadcasting (with Plus , Men & Motors , Good Life and Talk TV ), Weather Channel UK , HSN Direct , Fox Kids , Sky Scottish and Trouble (from early 1997). During 1997, but same as above: Yvette Fielding Yvette Paula Fielding (born 23 September 1968)
1060-520: The Independent Television Commission ruled against BSkyB after ten complaints regarding a number of false claims involving some of the channels which were due to be part of the package, as well as further complaints about the commercials failing to state that a one-year contract had to be taken out to take advantage of any special introductory offer. In conjunction with the launch of the Multichannels package, all Sky networks adopted
1113-556: The Peter Kay Sit down for Comic Relief comedy sketch as part of Red Nose Day 2013 . In June 2013 she co-hosted Real Radio North West 's breakfast show, with Glen Hunt, as a stand in for the regular co-host, Lorna Bancroft. As well as presenting Most Haunted , Fielding also ran and co-owned a tea shop in Manchester called 'Propertea', near to Manchester Cathedral until 2016 when she left to start her own tea shop. In 2015, Fielding
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#17328766317841166-653: The SOS Award for the Most Popular Woman on Television , competing with Cilla Black , Victoria Wood and Kylie Minogue . Years after Fielding left Blue Peter , her trip on a rollercoaster with fellow presenter Mark Curry was voted the Favourite Blue Peter moment of all time by viewers. After five years of Blue Peter , Fielding co-hosted What's Up Doc? , a Saturday morning children's show on ITV . The series ran for three years. From 1995 Fielding made
1219-537: The Astra satellites, a selection of channels was placed on Sky's preview service on transponder 47 of Astra 1C in the clear This showed promotional material in the centre of the screen and 12 channels around the edge, including some English services which were not part of the package. During football matches on Sky One , services which were also part of the Multichannels package were made available free-to-view, allowing sports subscribers to sample them. This continued until
1272-510: The Australian comedy Kath & Kim . In 2008, the channel also debuted the first seasons of Army Wives , Lipstick Jungle , Private Practice , and Viva Laughlin . Brian Dowling was put forward as one of the public figures to represent the channel – by presenting programming including Celebrity Extra , Trolley Dollies , and a spin-off to I'm Famous and Frightened! . Later, fellow Big Brother contestant Jade Goody became
1325-478: The British media in connection with her paranormal investigations and programmes, including guest appearances on The Sunday Night Project ( Channel 4 ), The Chris Moyles Show ( BBC Radio 1 ) and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross ( BBC One ). Furthering her paranormal franchise, in 2008 Fielding made her first move into radio broadcasting, hosting Yvette Fielding's Fright Nights on Kerrang! Radio . Fielding left
1378-555: The Buzzcocks . In 2007, Fielding appeared as a guest on the ITV chat show Loose Women , and appeared as a contestant in the ITV2 reality television programme Deadline , finishing second. Later on in the year she appeared as a guest on That Antony Cotton Show . In January 2008, Fielding appeared as a contestant on the BBC quiz show Celebrity Mastermind , with her specialist subject being Henry VIII . Fielding and her husband were
1431-515: The CBBC drama series Byker Grove , playing the role of Samantha Fuller. From 1998 to 2000, Fielding appeared as a regular alongside Fred Dinenage and Toyah Willcox on a property-pricing based game-show called Under Offer made for Meridian Television . In 2003, Fielding appeared as a guest on the Channel 4 chat show Richard & Judy . In 2004, Fielding was named 'Multichannel personality of
1484-721: The Paranormal . The book was published by Hodder & Stoughton in July 2006. Fielding and O'Keeffe released a follow-up book in August 2008 called In Search of the Supernatural , also published by Hodder & Stoughton. In September 2019, Fielding released her first novel, Archie the Ghost Hunter and the Rising , published by Rudling House. Fielding's husband, Karl Beattie, provided illustrations for
1537-583: The TV and Value Packs were able to access the content with no additional cost; others were able to view it on a pay per view basis with prices starting at 77p. Programming was removed from BT Vision on 13 January 2010. The channel's on-demand offering was revamped during Autumn 2009 as Living Player on Virgin Media. Living Player offered dedicated seven-day catch-up on shows such as Ghost Whisperer and Grey's Anatomy , as well as hours of archive content previously shown on
1590-630: The book. In September 2021, Anderson Press published the first book in Fielding's new series of books, The Ghost Hunter Chronicles , following tales of three friends. The first book in the series was titled The House in the Woods . The second book in the series, The Ripper of Whitechapel , again published by Anderson Press, was released in September 2022. In May 2024, Fielding released Scream Queen: A memoir , published by Ebury Spotlight. This book provides Fielding's life story, plus details of her introduction to
1643-438: The celebrity subjects of a one-hour documentary for Living called Living With Yvette & Karl which aired on 1 November 2008. A sequel documentary entitled In Bed with Yvette & Karl which aired on Living on 17 January 2009, charted Fielding's hysterectomy operation and recovery. A full-length series of In Bed with Yvette & Karl , was then commissioned, and aired on Living during June and July 2009. In October 2009,
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1696-462: The channel helped to launch a whole new genre of paranormal programming with such shows as Crossing Over with John Edward , 6ixth Sense with Colin Fry , Scream Team , Jane Goldman Investigates , Dead Famous , I'm Famous and Frightened! and Most Haunted , which continued to be popular. The channel has also aired Yvette Fielding 's Most Haunted and Most Haunted Live! , in which Fielding and
1749-473: The channel's newest public face, with three different shows devoted to her life, Jade's Salon , Just Jade and Jade's PA , but in January 2007, she was dropped due to the racism row on Celebrity Big Brother . In 2009, when Jade discovered that she had terminal cancer, the channel acquired the exclusive rights to film a documentary through her final days followed by the show producing two-hour-long tribute shows
1802-412: The channel's pink branding was replaced by a blue and silver logo in September 2013. On 8 June 2018, Sky announced that the channel would be rebranded as Sky Witness on 6 August 2018. The channel was mainly aimed at women aged between 25 and 45, broadcasting films, dramas, chat shows, quiz shows and soap operas. Most of its original programming came from the programme libraries of Thames Television and
1855-641: The channel. Living Player was available on PCs, and the player also offered HD programming for free to all customers on the Virgin Media's XL TV package. Original commissions were to be made available longer term. Sky Multichannels Sky Multichannels was a package of analogue television services offered by BSkyB on the Astra satellites at 19.2° east from 1 September 1993 to 27 September 2001, which started off with 15 channels before expanding to over 40. The service started on 1 September 1993, based on
1908-401: The channels on Astra 1D had been discontinued. On 9 May 2001, it was announced that due to the possibility of lost revenue from the 242,000 analogue subscribers, the closure of the remaining analogue channels would be delayed from June to September. BSkyB closed down the last service in the Multichannels package - Sky One - on 27 September of that year. The subscription cost was £ 6.99
1961-424: The idea from chief executive officer Sam Chisholm and Rupert Murdoch of converting the company's business strategy to an entirely fee-based concept. The new package included four channels formerly available free-to-air on Astra's satellites, as well as introducing new channels. Some of the channels had been broadcast either in the clear or soft encrypted (i.e. a VideoCrypt decoder was required, but without
2014-505: The launch of Sky Sports 2 on 19 August 1994. Due to the growth of digital television and the Sky platform, alongside greater choice and the reduced need for channels to timeshare due to bandwidth constraints, BSkyB announced that its analogue service would cease transmission with all channels in this package closing by 2001. The first to be ceased was TV Travel Shop which became exclusive to digital in late 1999, and by February 2000 many of
2067-552: The pair investigating claims of ghost and vampire sightings in Poveglia , Italy. Fielding announced on 25 June 2010 that she was to step down as presenter of Most Haunted . In subsequent interviews, Fielding also indicated that she would finish presenting Ghosthunting with.. and all other paranormal-based broadcasts in 2010. However, in May 2011, Fielding appeared in an episode of the UK version of
2120-670: The radio station a few months later however, due to other work commitments. In 2008, Fielding and Beattie formed a new company called Monster Pictures to operate the Paranormal Channel . Fielding acted as anchor to the channel and presented original programming on the station. The channel was subsequently renamed the Unexplained Channel in 2009. In October 2009, a two-part documentary featuring Fielding with Paul O'Grady aired on Living entitled Death in Venice . The documentary saw
2173-653: The service to British viewers and prevent them from watching the channel for free. Nick at Nite was originally going to be part of the Multichannels plan but ultimately the channel did not launch. Channels which joined the package were paid a fee of 15 pence per subscriber per month. A European Multichannels package run by BSkyB – also using the VideoCrypt encryption system – was planned to be launched soon afterwards but did not come to fruition. A package of channels called MultiChoice Kaleidoscope launched on 1 November 1993 using VideoCrypt 2 encryption. The MultiChoice service
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2226-754: The team, that at one point included medium Derek Acorah , investigate haunted locations in the UK and abroad. The show had brought some of the channel's biggest ratings to date. The channel also launched a number of successful US television shows in the UK market. Past successes include Americas Next Top Model , Charmed , Will & Grace , Queer Eye for the Straight Guy , Miss Match , The Golden Girls , Joan of Arcadia , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , CSI: Miami , Just Shoot Me! , Boston Legal , Criminal Minds , Blindspot , Grey's Anatomy , Ghost Whisperer , The L Word , Men in Trees and
2279-524: The year' at the Variety Club Showbusiness awards. In 2005, Fielding appeared as Annie Lennox in a celebrity special of ITV's Stars in Their Eyes , and also appeared as a guest panellist on Channel 5 show The Wright Stuff (Fielding made further guest appearances on the show in 2008 and 2009). Later in the same year she also made a guest appearance on the BBC music quiz show Never Mind
2332-517: Was Most Haunted for the British TV channel Living . In the show, Fielding and paranormal experts investigate various supposedly haunted locations around Britain, in the hopes that paranormal activity may be documented by the crew. In 2006, Fielding presented and produced Ghosthunting With... , a paranormal show for ITV2 which shows Fielding leading various celebrities around haunted locations. Fielding has made many appearances and interviews in
2385-503: Was a celebrity homeowner in an episode of Through the Keyhole . In November 2015, Fielding took part in the ITV reality series I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! She finished the show in tenth place after being evicted on 30 November. During the 8th series of Most Haunted , Yvette Fielding released the first of two books with Most Haunted' s then parapsychologist, Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe', entitled Ghost Hunters: A Guide to Investigating
2438-740: Was a celebrity panellist in an episode of the Channel 4 comedy show 8 out of 10 Cats . In November 2009, Fielding appeared as a celebrity contestant in an episode of Come Dine with Me , finishing third. In May 2010, Fielding appeared as a guest on the Channel 5 chat show Justin Lee Collins: Good Times . In December 2011, Fielding appeared as part of a celebrity team on the BBC Two quiz show Eggheads . In 2002, Yvette Fielding and her husband Karl Beattie established their own television production company, Antix Productions . Their first production
2491-491: Was also used, with differing arrangements per channel (Sky News utilized a variant with the signature of Gari's pre-existing "Great News" package in 1989, which had been used since launch and received a slight update with the new look). The full package was used in promotional spots for what was termed as "the brand new Sky" and during periods where BSkyB channels were off the air. To promote the Sky Multichannels package on
2544-617: Was announced as part of a cross-platform strategy to boost the channel's brand. The channel launched on 6 October 2009 exclusively on Virgin Media. and on 2 September 2010, it launched on Sky channel 224. On 1 February 2011, the Living HD channel was relaunched as Sky Living HD. BSkyB announced on 25 October 2010, that Living would be rebranded as Sky Living in early 2011 and moving EPG positions on Sky from channel 112 to 107, between Sky One and Sky Atlantic , to improve their entertainment line-up. As part of an attempt to appeal more to men,
2597-484: Was available on satellite and cable. It offered access to a number of shows which viewers may have missed first time around. On demand content was added to BT Vision 's library on 15 January 2009. 38 hours of programming from six of the channel's shows; Extreme: Skinny Celebrities , Dirty Dancing , Living with the Cheeky Girls , Ibiza 2008 and Most Haunted were available from launch. Subscribers to BT Vision taking
2650-507: Was decided that UK Living would remain a separate channel. As such, it had to remove the 'UK' branding to avoid being confused with the UKTV services; thus UK Living became Living . Living launched its website in 2001 as livingtv.co.uk, prior to the channel being renamed LivingTV in December 2001. This was initially represented on-screen by the addition of the letters 'TV' to the established logo. In
2703-454: Was run by South Africa-based Network Holdings, separate from BSkyB, and initially included Filmnet and The Adult Channel as premium channels, and The Children's Channel (in Benelux only), Discovery , MTV , Country Music Television and QVC as basic channels. Sky Soap and Sky Travel launched, and were added to the package, on 3 October 1994 , but Sky News remained free-to-air. QVC
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#17328766317842756-406: Was switched to free-to-view broadcasting on 7 March 1995. 1996 saw the launch of Sky 2 and a selection of channels operated in conjunction with Granada. The launch of Astra 1D allowed Sky to further expand the Multichannels package, including the pay-per-view Box Office channels on 1 December 1997. BSkyB ran television advertisements prior to the new service launching. However, in 1993,
2809-509: Was transferred to Living on 3 February 1997 and renamed Tiny Living (later Tiny Living TV) to fit with the channel's name. Its air times changed to 7am-9am on weekdays, and 7am-10am during the weekends. The strand was withdrawn at the end of September 2005. The following is a list of the ten most watched programmes on Sky Living, based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB up to 9 April 2017. The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on +1. The channel had an on demand service which
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