Sky viewers across the UK saw major BBC channel number changes rolled out across Sky HD, Sky Q and Sky Glass platforms during March 2023.

The update affected several BBC regional television services, with viewers noticing changes to BBC One regional channel numbers and adjustments to the electronic programme guide across Sky satellite and streaming platforms.

The reshuffle formed part of the BBC’s ongoing expansion of regional HD broadcasting and wider efforts to standardise channel positioning across UK television platforms.

What Changed?

The March 2023 update mainly focused on BBC regional television services.

Several BBC One regional channels moved to new positions within the Sky electronic programme guide, particularly HD regional variants.

Affected platforms included:

• Sky HD
• Sky Q
• Sky Glass
• Sky Stream

Many viewers found their local BBC One HD region appearing on different channel numbers than before.

The changes were introduced to improve consistency and better organise BBC regional services as more HD regional variations became available.

Why Were BBC Channels Moving?

The BBC had continued expanding its regional HD services across satellite and terrestrial television platforms.

Historically, many viewers only received regional BBC One programming in standard definition while national BBC channels were already available in HD.

Over time, the BBC gradually launched additional regional BBC One HD variants to improve picture quality for local programming including:

• Regional news
• Local current affairs
• Weather bulletins
• Regional opt-outs

As the number of regional HD services increased, broadcasters needed to reorganise channel numbering systems to accommodate the growing number of variations.

Bringing Greater Consistency

One aim of the changes was to create greater consistency between television platforms.

Over the years, Sky and Freesat had often used slightly different numbering systems for BBC regional channels.

The March 2023 Sky reshuffle helped simplify channel organisation and align BBC regional services more logically within the EPG.

This made it easier for viewers switching between platforms to find their local BBC channels.

The changes also reflected the increasingly important role HD broadcasting now plays across UK television systems.

Impact on Viewers

For most Sky users, the update happened automatically overnight without requiring any manual retuning.

Sky receivers automatically downloaded the revised EPG information directly from the satellite platform.

However, some viewers initially experienced temporary confusion after favourite channels appeared in different positions within the guide.

A small number of users also reported:

• Duplicate BBC regions
• Missing regional channels
• Incorrect BBC One regions
• Temporary EPG glitches

In most cases these issues corrected themselves automatically after the receiver refreshed its guide data.

All the BBC regions are made available on the Sky EPG, up in the 900´s

Todays change tidies up the numbering, and removes gaps left by the closure of two BBC micro regions.

Obviously, your local BBC 1 region that you are allocated on Sky channels 101 will be missing from “BBC regions” section.

The changes happened automatically earlier today.

It also affects the BBC Red Button Channels, that used to be on Sky channel 981.

Old New Channel
954 951 BBC One London HD
955 952 BBC One North East & Cumbria HD
958 953 BBC One North West HD
956 954 BBC One Yorkshire HD
957 955 BBC One East Yorks & Lincs HD
959 956 BBC One West Midlands HD
960 957 BBC One East Midlands HD
961 958 BBC One East HD
963 959 BBC One South East HD
966 960 BBC One West HD
964 961 BBC One South HD
967 962 BBC One South West HD
968 963 BBC One Channel Islands HD
951 964 BBC One Scotland HD
952 965 BBC One Wales HD
953 966 BBC One Northern Ireland HD
970 967 BBC Two HD (England/Scotland) for viewers in Northern Ireland and Wales
980 968 BBC Two Wales HD for viewers in England, Scotland and NI
970 969 BBC Two Northern Ireland HD for viewers in England, Scotland and Wales
981 970 BBC Red Button 1 HD
982 971 BBC Red Button 1 SD

BBC Satellite Frequencies on the Astra 2 Satellites