 Logo used since 2022 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom Ireland |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed) |
| Timeshift service | Syfy +1 (closed in 2022) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sky Group (Comcast) |
| Sister channels | List of Sky UK channels |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 October 1995 (as Sci Fi Channel/Syfy) 26 July 2022 (as Sky Sci-Fi) |
| Former names | Sci Fi Channel (1995–2010) Syfy (2010–2022) |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Sky Go | Watch live (UK and Ireland only) |
| Now | Watch live (UK and Ireland only) |
| Virgin TV Go | Watch live (UK only) |
| Virgin TV Anywhere | Watch live (Ireland only) |
Sky Sci-Fi (formerly Sci Fi Channel and Syfy) is a British pay television channel owned and operated by Sky, a division of Comcast. It was launched in 1995 as a localised variant of the US network Sci Fi Channel (now Syfy), 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.
On 13 April 2010, Sci Fi Channel was relaunched as Syfy, as part of an ongoing global rebranding.[1] The relaunch was accompanied by the premieres of V and Human Target. The channel was given a new on-air look and a tagline of "Imagine greater".
Sky applied for a Sky 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]
- ^ Tryhorn, Chris (19 February 2010). "Sci Fi channel to rebrand in April". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ "Search for a trade mark - Intellectual Property Office".
- ^ https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/syfy-channel-to-re-launch-as-sky-sci-fi RXTVinfo, 2022-06-14
- ^ "SyFy channel re-brands to Sky Sci-Fi offering new shows and fan favourites". Sky Group (Press release). 14 June 2022.