ITV3 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel. It was launched on 1 November 2004.
ITV3 is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc.
ITV3 is mainly aimed at the over-35 audience, and much of its output consists of reruns of older ITV drama series and sitcoms.
ITV3 is available to view in the United Kingdom on Sky, Sky HD, Freesat, Freesat HD, Freeview, Freeview HD and Virgin Media.
Programmes on ITV 3
A Touch of Frost
Agatha Christies Poirot
Agatha Christies Miss Marple
Bergerac
Cagney and Lacey
Cracker
Doc Martin
Flashpoint
George and Mildred
Goodnight Sweetheart
Heartbeat
Inspector Morse
Kavanagh QC
Lewis
Midsomer Murders
Monarch of the Glen
Pie in the Sky
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
Taggart
Upstairs, Downstairs
Wild at Heart
Today, most ITV channels are are available for free on satellite, without viewing card or subscription. They are classed as “free to air” channels, and can be received on most digital satellite receivers, including Sky digiboxes and Freesat set top boxes. Some ITV channels, like ITV Encore and some ITV HD channels are subscription and require a Sky subscription to view.
In previous years most ITV channels were transmitted from the Astra 2D satellite with its “spot beam”, aimed at the UK. This tried to limit reception of ITV channels in Europe. To some extent this worked, as some areas of Spain, like the Costa Blanca, had to use large 1.8m satellite dishes, 1.9m satellite dishes, and 2.4m satellite dishes to watch ITV channels. Some areas of Spain were more lucky, like the Costa del Sol, where they could use the smaller “125x135cm” ( or a “1.4m” ) satellite dish. Some ITV1 regions were also available on the “European” beams of the other UK TV satellites, Astra 2A and Astra 2B. Due to them being transmitted from the European beam they were encrypted and required a “free to view” viewing card.
In February 2012, most ITV channels moved from the Astra 2D satellite, to a temporary home on the Astra 1N satellite. The Astra 1N satellite “signal footprint” is more generous to expats in Spain, and so the BBC channels on Astra 1N could be received on a satellite dish as small as 90x100cm, a “1m” satellite dish.
During February 2014, the remaining ITV channels on Astra 1N moved to their new satellite,Astra 2E.
During 2015, some ITV channels have been moved to Astra 2G.
The new Astra 2E, Astra 2F and Astra 2G satellites UK “spot beam” or “narrow beam” signal footprint is different to the previous UK TV satellites UK beam. This has meant that reception of BBC channels on the new Astra 2 satellites will be different to previous reception. In the areas between Valencia and Alicante, our service area, the ITV channels on the new Astra 2 satellites UK beam can still be received on a small satellite dish – as small as a 110x120cm satellite dish with a 125x135cm satellite dish being the recommended size satellite dish.
However, in other areas of Spain, reception of these ITV channels on the new Astra 2 satellites UK beam has become harder. For example, in areas such as Barcelona, Catalonia and Zaragoza, you need at least a 1.8m satellite dish to receive these channels on the Astra 2F UK beam, whereas previously you only needed a smaller 80cm satellite dish. It is a similar story in the south of Spain, in areas like the Costa del Sol, Malaga, Almeria, Seville, Gibraltar and even Portugal, where even the larger 2.4m satellite dishes are struggling to receive these channels on the Astra 2 satellites UK beam.
ITV3 on Freesat and Sky
ITV3 is allocated to Freesat channel 115.
ITV3 is allocated to Sky channel 119.
ITV3 +1
ITV3 operates a one hour “timeshift” channel. This is a delayed retransmission of the main ITV3 channel. ITV3 +1 was launched on 30 October 2006.
ITV3 +1 is on Freesat channel 116.
ITV3 +1 is on Sky channel 193.
ITV Channels:
ITV 1 : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 2 : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 3 : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 4 : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 1HD : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 2HD : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 3HD : Channel and frequency Information
ITV 4HD : Channel and frequency Information
CITV : Channel and frequency Information
ITVbe : Channel and frequency Information
ITV Encore : Channel and frequency Information
ITV Channel Numbers on Freesat