 Logo used since 2022 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 1080iHDTV |
| Timeshift service | Syfy +1 (closed in 2022) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sky Group (Comcast) |
| Sister channels | List of Sky UK channels |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 October 1995; 29 years ago (1995-10-01) (as Sci Fi Channel/Syfy) 26 July 2022; 2 years ago (2022-07-26) (as Sky Sci-Fi) |
| Former names | Sci Fi Channel (1995–2010) Syfy (2010–2022) |
Sky Sci-Fi (formerlySci Fi Channel andSyfy) is a Britishpay televisionchannel owned and operated bySky, a division ofComcast.
Launched as The Sci-Fi Channel, it was relaunched as Syfy on 13 April 2010, as part of an ongoing global rebranding.[1] The relaunch was accompanied by the premieres ofV andHuman Target. The channel was given a new on-air look and a tagline of "Imagine greater".
Sky applied for aSky Sci-Fi trademark on 4 May 2022.[2] On 14 June 2022 Sky confirmed that the channel rebrand would take place at 11am on 26 July, accompanied by a refreshed schedule of new and existing content.[3][4]
It was launched in 1995 as a localised variant of the US network Sci Fi Channel (nowSyfy), with a similar programming line-up. It was on air each day from 8:00 am until 2:00 am, but only on cable as a lack of transponder space on satellite meant that it was only able to broadcast for few hours each day on that platform. It wasn't until the launch of Sky Digital in 1998 that the channel's full broadcast hours were available on satellite.
Programming in the channel's early years followed the US channel's model, then consisting largely of archive shows such asLost in Space,The Incredible Hulk,Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and films from the Paramount and MCA vaults. The channel was also notable for being one of the first UK television channels to showanime movies and television series on a regular basis. These programming choices were supplemented by a few 1980s animated series shown in the mornings such asRobotech,Bionic Six andG-Force, although they were dropped as the channel's lineup became more independent of the original US channel.
Currently, most archive and anime programming have been phased out of the channel, which now concentrates on contemporary show, movies, and other programming. One original UK production was the late-night showHeadf**k, which featured excerpts from unusual TV shows, short films (includingChris Barfoot's 'Phoenix' and 'The Reckoning') and music videos from around the world. Later episodes were presented byDavid Icke.
Programmes on the channel throughout more recent times have included UK premieres of big name US shows likeHeroes,Flash Gordon,Eureka, and more recentlyKnight Rider,Legend of the Seeker and Joss Whedon'sDollhouse. Also shown as of February 2007 are digitally remastered episodes ofStar Trek (not to be confused with the remastered series with new CGI); in October the channel secured an exclusive deal withCBS to airStar Trek: The Next Generation episodes, remastered from original film elements to current HD standards with new HD CGI sequences, and as of November 2012 have been broadcasting them in (mostly) chronological order.[5][6][7]
As of April 2008, the channel reached an average of three million UK and Ireland households a week, appealing equally to male and female demographics.
Initially, the channel shared its analogue satellitetransponder with no less than five other channels, limiting its output to early evenings and late nights with the rest of its continuous daytime programming (including cartoons) restricted to cable customers. With the launch of Sky Digital in the UK the channel eventually expanded to exclusive broadcasting on its own channel and now broadcasts round the clock most days each week.
The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Syfy (previously Sci-Fi), based on Live +7 data supplied byBARB up to 10 September 2017.[8] The number of viewers does not include viewers from Ireland, repeats or airings on Syfy +1.
| Rank | Show | Episode | No. of viewers | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heroes | 1.01 –Genesis | 579,000 | 19 February 2007 |
| 2 | V | 2.09 – Devil in a Blue Dress | 549,000 | 19 May 2011 |
| 3 | Heroes | 1.19 –.07% | 529,000 | 18 June 2007 |
| 4 | Heroes | 1.05 –Hiros | 523,000 | 12 March 2007 |
| 5 | Heroes | 1.03 –One Giant Leap | 512,000 | 26 February 2007 |
| 6 | Heroes | 1.06 – Better Halves | 509,000 | 19 March 2007 |
| 7 | The Librarians | 1.01 – And the Crown of King Arthur | 503,000 | 8 December 2014 |
| 8 | Heroes | 1.04 –Collison | 502,000 | 5 March 2007 |
| 9 | Heroes | 1.02 –Don't Look Back | 494,000 | 19 February 2007 |
| 10 | Knight Rider | 1.01 – A Knight in Shining Armor | 490,000 | 19 May 2009 |
Ahigh-definition simulcast channel was launched on theSky+ HD service as the 31st high-definition channel onSky. A range of high definition movies, including Sci Fi Channel original productionBa'al: The Storm God, aired on the channel along withEli Stone,Tin Man andSanctuary.
It was added toVirgin TV on 1 April 2010.[9]
