Master list of HD channels (UK)

This is a Master List of current high-definition channels that are available in the United Kingdom, together with those coming in the future. All eighty-seven HD channels in the UK broadcast at 1080i, except on Freeview, where HD channels can dynamically switch between 1080i50 and 1080p25.

Including all regional variatons there are currently seventeen channels available on Freesat's EPG, eighteen channels available on the Freeview EPG, eighty-five channels available on the Sky EPG and sixty-four channels available on Virgin Media's EPG. However, as this includes regional variants some channels are not on the EPG in all areas because of issues such as ITV licence restrictions or limited capacity. For example, the eighteen channels on Freeview's EPG includes 4 versions of BBC1 and 6 versions of ITV1/STV/UTV - in reality only one version of BBC1 HD and one of ITV1/STV/UTV will appear on the EPG in any area.

HD swap
On Sky and Freesat, in genres with HD channels, channel numbers sometimes differ depending on whether you are an HD subscriber (Sky) or using an HD device (Freesat) or not. HD subscribers or HD devices will find that some HD channels are "HD swapped" with the standard definition counterpart, meaning that the HD version of the channel has greater prominence in the EPG. Where the HD swap applies both the SD and HD numbers are shown in the Freesat and Sky channel number columns in the tables below, and the entry is shaded yellow. Where there is no shading in the Freesat or Sky columns, no HD swap applies for that channel (either the broadcaster has opted not to do so (e.g. Channel 4 and Channel 5) or because there is no standard definition channel equivalent to swap with (e.g. Sky Insider HD, Sky HD Retail Information)).

In a small number of cases (where the Freesat or Sky column is shaded orange), the HD swap is not applied across the whole of the region in which the channel is on the EPG e.g. because the broadcaster has opted not to apply the swap in part or parts of the UK. Similarly occasionally the HD swap applies between two channels that are not simulcats (e.g. BBC One English regions and BBC One HD) - these are also shaded orange.

Entertainment
Note 1 - Not manually tuneable with standard Freesat/Sky boxes but manually tuneable across United Kingdom with specialist tuners.

Movies
Note 1 - Sky Movies channels are mainly HD. However, there is the occasional upscaled SD broadcast where an HD source is not available

April 2014

 * 1st or 2nd - STV HD to launch in Scotland on both Sky & Freesat

Autumn 2015

 * BBC One +1 HD - to replace BBC Three HD, subject to BBC Trust approval

Unknown dates

 * RTE One HD (Ireland and Northern Ireland)
 * Al Jazeera HD to launch on Sky
 * CNN International HD
 * BBC One HD English regions
 * BBC Two HD nations