Two of Freeview’s nostalgia channels are finally back on air after a mysterious four-day blackout – but the broadcaster’s explanation has left viewers with more questions than answers.
That’s TV and That’s TV 2 returned to Freeview yesterday afternoon (December 12), ending days of speculation about what had caused the sudden disappearance.
The company’s response? A cheerful message about “shiny new distribution arrangements” and getting ready for Christmas (see the full response below).
There was no mention of what actually went wrong, which viewers are still asking for – but many are nonetheless blessing the return of the two channels.
What Happened This Week
The two channels vanished from Freeview on Monday evening (December 9), leaving thousands of viewers staring at a “currently unavailable” message instead of their usual lineup of classic British sitcoms and retro music videos.
For those unfamiliar, That’s TV and That’s TV 2 specialise in nostalgic British television – classic sitcoms like Benidorm, Shameless, Rising Damp, Steptoe and Son, Birds of a Feather, and Man About the House, alongside plenty of music videos.
They’re comfort viewing channels, the sort you put on for a relaxing weekday evening.
For four days, there was complete radio silence from That’s TV. The broadcaster’s official X (formerly Twitter) account went quiet on December 8 – the day before the outage – and stayed that way even as frustrated viewers flooded social media (and our comments section) with questions.
We reached out to both That’s TV and Freeview for comment during the blackout. Freeview told us to contact the company directly. That’s TV never responded.
The only official word came from Freeview’s Advice account on social media, which told viewers the channels were “down” and That’s TV was “working on a fix” – but offered no details about what had actually broken.
Meanwhile, the channels continued broadcasting normally on Sky and Freesat, adding to the mystery.
Furthermore, That’s TV’s other services – including That’s TV 3, That’s Christmas, and the company’s 22 local channels – also stayed on air throughout.
The Company Finally Speaks
Yesterday afternoon, as the channels flickered back to life on Freeview, That’s TV finally broke its silence with a message on X:
“Freeview 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.
“We’ve been touched by your messages. We’re all set up and ready to go with the most wonderful Christmas season for you!”
The upbeat tone matched the channels’ nostalgic, feel-good brand. But the carefully worded statement raised eyebrows for what it didn’t say.
“Shiny new distribution arrangements” could mean anything – a new contract with multiplex operators, upgraded technical infrastructure, or resolved licensing issues. The company offered no specifics.
Viewers React
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.
“My god, we’re back! Great news, That’s TV,” wrote one viewer.
“Great that you’re back up and running. Never been so happy to watch a bunch of repeats!” posted another.
“A Christmas miracle!” another exclaimed.
But others weren’t satisfied with the vague explanation. One viewer cut through the festive cheer with a pointed criticism: “Well, if you had any loyalty to your customer base, you wouldn’t have waited until now to give an explanation.”
That’s TV hasn’t responded to these follow-up questions.
Why This Matters
The incident reveals something interesting about the current television landscape: even smaller, niche channels have developed fiercely loyal followings.
That’s TV and That’s TV 2 aren’t major broadcasters. They don’t command the audiences of BBC One or ITV. Their programming consists largely of decades-old sitcoms and music videos – content that’s available elsewhere if you know where to look.
Yet the flood of concerned messages during the blackout showed genuine attachment from viewers who’d made these channels part of their daily routine.
For many, particularly older viewers, That’s TV offers comforting familiarity – the televisual equivalent of your favourite well-worn jumper.
The nostalgia market is powerful. In an era of endless streaming options and algorithm-driven recommendations, there’s real value in channels that simply deliver predictable comfort viewing.
You know what you’re getting with That’s TV: classic British comedy and drama, no surprises, perfect for unwinding after a long day – which is why channels like Talking Pictures TV and Rewind TV are also quite popular in this niche.
Technical vs Contractual
The phrase “new distribution arrangements” suggests this wasn’t a simple technical fault. Technical problems – failed transmitters, software glitches – typically get fixed within hours, not days.
And they usually affect all platforms simultaneously, not just Freeview.
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.
Different That’s TV channels use different multiplex operators, which explains why That’s TV 3 and That’s Christmas stayed on air while the main channels went dark.
Whatever “shiny new distribution arrangements” means, it likely involved renegotiating or updating contracts with the specific operator handling That’s TV and That’s TV 2.
The Ofcom Context
This incident comes just weeks after That’s TV’s licence renewal process with Ofcom, which wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.
Photo: Deposit Photos / Rafapress
In November, the media regulator concluded a fresh investigation into That’s TV after finding several of its local outlets had failed to broadcast sufficient first-run local news.
Some channels had cut back their news output, with 15-minute evening bulletins simply looped during early morning hours to meet licence obligations.
Ofcom renewed the licences until 2034, but imposed stricter requirements – including bans on rebroadcasting the same news stories for more than 24 hours and using information screens as primary news updates.
That followed earlier regulatory issues, including a 2021 breach for airing violent content before the watershed.
What Now?
For now, That’s TV fans can relax – their channels are back, apparently with improved “distribution arrangements” that should keep them running smoothly through Christmas and beyond.
Their loyal viewers have shown remarkable patience, but that goodwill isn’t infinite.
And for those viewers? They’re probably just happy to have Benidorm and Shameless back on their screens. Sometimes nostalgia is all the explanation you need.
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