<\/p>\n
For those unfamiliar, That\u2019s TV and That\u2019s TV 2 specialise in nostalgic British television \u2013 classic sitcoms like Benidorm, Shameless, Rising Damp, Steptoe and Son, Birds of a Feather, and Man About the House, alongside plenty of music videos.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re comfort viewing channels, the sort you put on for a relaxing weekday evening.<\/p>\n
For four days, there was complete radio silence from That\u2019s TV. The broadcaster\u2019s official X (formerly Twitter) account went quiet on December 8 \u2013 the day before the outage \u2013 and stayed that way even as frustrated viewers flooded social media (and our comments section) with questions.<\/p>\n
We reached out to both That\u2019s TV and Freeview for comment during the blackout. Freeview told us to contact the company directly. That\u2019s TV never responded.<\/p>\n
The only official word came from Freeview\u2019s Advice account on social media, which told viewers the channels were \u201cdown\u201d and That\u2019s TV was \u201cworking on a fix\u201d \u2013 but offered no details about what had actually broken.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the channels continued broadcasting normally on Sky and Freesat, adding to the mystery.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, That\u2019s TV\u2019s other services \u2013 including That\u2019s TV 3, That\u2019s Christmas, and the company\u2019s 22 local channels \u2013 also stayed on air throughout.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Company Finally Speaks <\/p>\n
Yesterday afternoon, as the channels flickered back to life on Freeview, That\u2019s TV finally broke its silence with a message on X:<\/p>\n
\u201cFreeview viewers: Thank you for your patience and kind comments whilst we fixed up our shiny new distribution arrangements just in time for the festive season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been touched by your messages. We\u2019re all set up and ready to go with the most wonderful Christmas season for you!\u201d<\/p>\n
The upbeat tone matched the channels\u2019 nostalgic, feel-good brand. But the carefully worded statement raised eyebrows for what it didn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n
\u201cShiny new distribution arrangements\u201d could mean anything \u2013 a new contract with multiplex operators, upgraded technical infrastructure, or resolved licensing issues. The company offered no specifics.<\/p>\n
Viewers React <\/p>\n
The response on social media was mixed. Many viewers were simply relieved to have their favourite channels back, celebrating the return of their nightly classics.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy god, we\u2019re back! Great news, That\u2019s TV,\u201d wrote one viewer.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat that you\u2019re back up and running. Never been so happy to watch a bunch of repeats!\u201d posted another.<\/p>\n
\u201cA Christmas miracle!\u201d another exclaimed.<\/p>\n
But others weren\u2019t satisfied with the vague explanation. One viewer cut through the festive cheer with a pointed criticism: \u201cWell, if you had any loyalty to your customer base, you wouldn\u2019t have waited until now to give an explanation.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s TV hasn\u2019t responded to these follow-up questions.<\/p>\n
Why This Matters <\/p>\n
The incident reveals something interesting about the current television landscape: even smaller, niche channels have developed fiercely loyal followings.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s TV and That\u2019s TV 2 aren\u2019t major broadcasters. They don\u2019t command the audiences of BBC One or ITV. Their programming consists largely of decades-old sitcoms and music videos \u2013 content that\u2019s available elsewhere if you know where to look.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Yet the flood of concerned messages during the blackout showed genuine attachment from viewers who\u2019d made these channels part of their daily routine.<\/p>\n
For many, particularly older viewers, That\u2019s TV offers comforting familiarity \u2013 the televisual equivalent of your favourite well-worn jumper.<\/p>\n
The nostalgia market is powerful. In an era of endless streaming options and algorithm-driven recommendations, there\u2019s real value in channels that simply deliver predictable comfort viewing.<\/p>\n
You know what you\u2019re getting with That\u2019s TV: classic British comedy and drama, no surprises, perfect for unwinding after a long day \u2013 which is why channels like Talking Pictures TV<\/a> and Rewind TV<\/a> are also quite popular in this niche.<\/p>\n Technical vs Contractual <\/p>\n The phrase \u201cnew distribution arrangements\u201d suggests this wasn\u2019t a simple technical fault. Technical problems \u2013 failed transmitters, software glitches \u2013 typically get fixed within hours, not days.<\/p>\n And they usually affect all platforms simultaneously, not just Freeview.<\/p>\n The fact that satellite broadcasts continued uninterrupted points to something more complex. In the UK broadcasting ecosystem, getting channels onto Freeview requires agreements with multiplex operators who control the limited capacity available on the platform.<\/p>\n Different That\u2019s TV channels use different multiplex operators, which explains why That\u2019s TV 3 and That\u2019s Christmas stayed on air while the main channels went dark.<\/p>\n Whatever \u201cshiny new distribution arrangements\u201d means, it likely involved renegotiating or updating contracts with the specific operator handling That\u2019s TV and That\u2019s TV 2.<\/p>\n The Ofcom Context <\/p>\n This incident comes just weeks after That\u2019s TV\u2019s licence renewal process with Ofcom, which wasn\u2019t entirely smooth sailing.<\/p>\n In November, the media regulator concluded a fresh investigation into That\u2019s TV after finding several of its local outlets had failed to broadcast sufficient first-run local news.<\/p>\n Some channels had cut back their news output, with 15-minute evening bulletins simply looped during early morning hours to meet licence obligations.<\/p>\n Ofcom renewed the licences until 2034, but imposed stricter requirements \u2013 including bans on rebroadcasting the same news stories for more than 24 hours and using information screens as primary news updates.<\/p>\n That followed earlier regulatory issues, including a 2021 breach for airing violent content before the watershed.<\/p>\n What Now? <\/p>\n For now, That\u2019s TV fans can relax \u2013 their channels are back, apparently with improved \u201cdistribution arrangements\u201d that should keep them running smoothly through Christmas and beyond.<\/p>\n Their loyal viewers have shown remarkable patience, but that goodwill isn\u2019t infinite.<\/p>\n And for those viewers? They\u2019re probably just happy to have Benidorm and Shameless back on their screens. Sometimes nostalgia is all the explanation you need.<\/p>\nPhoto: Deposit Photos \/ Rafapress <\/p>\n