List of channels on BFBS TV (Europe)
More info: BFBS on Wikipedia
The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides radio and television programmes for Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and their dependents worldwide. Editorial control is independent of the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces themselves. It was established by the British War Office (now the Ministry of Defence) in 1943. In 1944, it was managed by Gale Pedrick.
Originally known as the Forces Broadcasting Service (FBS), it was initially under the control of the British Army Welfare Service, with its first effort, the Middle East Broadcasting Unit, with its headquarters in Cairo. Before and after end of the Second World War, various radio stations were set up, some using the FBS name, others using the name British Forces Network (BFN), but by the early 1960s, these had all adopted the BFBS name.
From 1982 until 2020, BFBS formed part of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), a registered charity, which is also responsible for the British Defence Film Library, SSVC Cinemas (now BFBS Cinemas), and Combined Services Entertainment (CSE; now BFBS Live Events), providing entertainment for HM Forces around the world. In March 2020, most of the properties under the SSVC umbrella were rebranded under the new BFBS and Forces brandings. On 23 July 2020, SSVC was renamed BFBS. BFBS does not carry commercial advertising.
BFBS Television
BFBS Television started in Celle, near Hanover in the then West Germany, on 18 September 1975 from Trenchard Barracks. This used taped broadcasts from the BBC and ITV, flown to Germany from London, which were then rebroadcast using low-power UHF transmitters. Live broadcasts of news and sport began in 1982, using a microwave link between the UK and West Germany, extending as far east as West Berlin.
The BFBS TV service used the 625-line PAL system, used in the UK as well as West Germany. By 1982, it was available at 50 sites throughout northern and central regions of West Germany.
It was known as SSVC Television (Services Sound and Vision Corporation) between 1985 and 1997, when it reverted to the BFBS name. Today it now broadcasts live via satellite. DVDs are still sent to forces serving in more remote areas. There was also a service known as Navy TV, which broadcasts time-shifted versions of the channel to Royal Navy vessels around the world via military satellite.
All channels below are free-to-air to military personnel and their families. A specific set-top box or viewing card may be required for copyright reasons.
Key
| Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|
| Bel | SHAPE, Belgium |
| Cyp | Cyprus |
| Ger | Germany |
| Gil | Gibraltar |
|
Available via cable on said channel number. |
|
Available via satellite on said channel number. |
| 1 | Channel is broadcast in HD |
Channels
All time GMT/BST
| EPG | Bel | Cyp | Ger | Gil | Channel | Logo | Owner/Parent company | Content from | Broadcasting hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
|
|
|
BBC One HD | 
|
BBC | BBC One HD | 24 hours |
| 2 |
|
|
|
|
BBC Two HD (BFBS version) |
|
BBC | CBeebies HD - 04:00-12:00* CBBC HD - 12:00*-18:00 BBC Two HD - 18:00-04:00 (* Dependent on schedule, varies between 11:30-12:30) |
24 hours |
| 3 |
|
|
|
|
ITV1 HD | 
|
ITV Digital Channels Ltd (ITV plc) |
ITV1 HD (London) |
24 hours |
| 4 |
|
|
|
|
BFBS Extra | 
|
BFBS | Sky Showcase, Sky Witness, Sky Atlantic, Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime, Sky History Sky History2, Sky Nature, Sky Arts, Sky Replay, E4, More4, 4seven, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, ITVBe, Comedy Central, Comedy Central Extra, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild Also shows independent programming. |
24 hours |
| 5 |
|
|
|
|
Sky Sports HD (BFBS version) |
|
Sky plc | Sky Sports Main Event HD, Sky Sports Premier League HD, Sky Sports Football HD, Sky Sports Cricket HD, Sky Sports Golf HD, Sky Sports F1 HD, Sky Sports Action HD, Sky Sports Arena HD, Sky Sports Racing HD, Sky Sports News HD, Sky Sports Mix HD |
24 hours
|
| 6 |
|
|
|
|
TNT Sports HD (BFBS version) |
|
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe | TNT Sports 1 HD, TNT Sports 2 HD, TNT Sports 3 HD, TNT Sports 4 HD |
24 hours |
| 7 |
|
|
|
|
BFBS Sport HD | 
|
BBC / Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe / Sky plc | BBC Two HD - (BBC Bitesize Daily)1 , BBC Two HD - (Sports programmes)2, Sky Sports Main Event HD, Sky Sports Premier League HD, Sky Sports Football HD, Sky Sports Cricket HD, Sky Sports Golf HD, Sky Sports F1 HD, Sky Sports Action HD, Sky Sports Arena HD, Sky Sports Racing HD, Sky Sports News HD, Sky Sports Mix HD TNT Sports 1 HD, TNT Sports 2 HD, TNT Sports 3 HD, TNT Sports 4 HD |
24 hours |
| 8 |
|
|
|
|
Sky News HD | 
|
Sky plc | Sky News HD | 24 hours |
| 9 |
|
Channel 4 | 
|
Channel Four Television Corporation | Channel 4 | 24 hours | |||
| 10 | |||||||||
| 11 |
|
BBC One HD - Delayed |
|
BBC | BBC One HD delayed to local time | 24 hours | |||
| 12 |
|
BBC Two HD - Delayed |
|
BBC | BBC Two HD on channel 2 but delayed to local time | 24 hours | |||
| 13 |
|
ITV1 HD - Delayed |
|
ITV Digital Channels Ltd (ITV plc) |
ITV1 HD delayed to local time | 24 hours | |||
| 14 |
|
BFBS Extra - Delayed |
|
BFBS | BFBS Extra - Delayed to local time | 24 hours | |||
| 15 | |||||||||
| 16 |
| ||||||||
| 17 |
|
Sky Cinema HD (BFBS version) |
|
Sky plc | Sky Cinema Premiere HD, Sky Cinema Select HD, Sky Cinema Hits HD, Sky Cinema Greats HD, Sky Cinema Animation HD, Sky Cinema Family HD, Sky Cinema Action HD, Sky Cinema Comedy HD, Sky Cinema Thriller HD, Sky Cinema Drama HD, Sky Cinema Sci Fi & Horror HD |
24 hours | |||
| 18 |
|
|
|
Nepal TV | 
|
Nepal Television | Nepal TV | 23:15-05:15 11:15-17:15 (repeat) |
Footnotes:
- 1 - Broadcasts BBC Bitesize Daily for Primary, BBC Bitesize Daily for Secondary and BBC Bitesize Daily from BBC Two HD (Network version in UK) during COVID-19 lockdowns.
- (Broadcast between 11:00-16:00, but times and number of episodes vary. Some episodes are simulcasted from BBC Two HD (Network version in UK) dependent of schedule.)
- 2 - Simulcasts BBC Two HD (Network version in UK) for when sports programmes are on from 04:00-18:00.