Discovery Kids
A former British and Irish pay-television channel for children, operated by Discovery UK from 2000 to 2007.
Last updated August 22, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Discovery Kids was a British and Irish pay-television channel aimed at children. It was part of Discovery's expansion into digital subscription television in the United Kingdom and initially occupied a timeshared slot on ONdigital, the UK's early digital terrestrial television platform. The channel was announced alongside Discovery Wings in December 1999 and launched on 1 February 2000. Both services replaced the timesharing arrangements previously used by Carlton Kids and Carlton World. At launch, Discovery Kids was designed as a dedicated children’s service within the emerging multichannel television market. Its programming consisted of children’s entertainment and factual-oriented series supplied through the Discovery programming ecosystem and related acquisitions. The channel’s identity combined the Discovery brand’s educational and factual associations with a schedule intended for younger viewers. It was a television channel rather than a standalone production company or consumer-products brand. The service initially operated exclusively on ONdigital, which later became ITV Digital. Discovery subsequently broadened its distribution to other British digital platforms, including Sky Digital and the platform that became Virgin Media. This expansion gave Discovery Kids a presence beyond its original terrestrial pay-TV outlet and made it part of the wider UK subscription television landscape. The channel’s position changed in 2001 when Discovery announced that the main Discovery Channel would launch on ITV Digital. The principal Discovery service began broadcasting on that platform on 17 October 2001, and Discovery stated that it would replace Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings there from 18 November. Discovery Kids continued to be available through other digital television platforms, so this change reduced rather than immediately eliminated its distribution. Discovery Kids ultimately closed at midnight on 28 February 2007, together with Discovery Wings. Discovery Turbo replaced both services from the following day, taking over their daytime and evening capacity. After the linear channel ended, Discovery introduced an online broadband video service called Discovery Kids on Demand. That service was not maintained as an actively updated successor for an extended period. Some programmes formerly associated with Discovery Kids, including The Save-Ums!, Timeblazers and Mystery Hunters, later appeared in morning programming on DMAX. The brand is therefore best understood as a former regional television channel within Discovery UK’s portfolio. Its history reflects the transition from early digital terrestrial television to a more consolidated multichannel market, in which broadcasters increasingly concentrated capacity on larger, more broadly positioned networks and used online video as a supplementary distribution method. Discovery Kids no longer operates as a linear television service.
History
Discovery Kids emerged during the development of the United Kingdom's early digital television market. On 22 December 1999, Discovery announced that it would introduce two new networks, Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings, on ONdigital. The services were scheduled to begin on 1 February 2000 and would take over the timesharing capacity previously associated with Carlton Kids and Carlton World. This arrangement gave Discovery a dedicated children's presence on the new digital terrestrial platform while also allowing it to develop a separate aviation-themed service. Discovery Kids launched on 1 February 2000 as an ONdigital-exclusive pay-television channel. Its core audience was children, and its programming was positioned within the broader Discovery portfolio of factual and educationally influenced entertainment. The channel was distributed through a timesharing arrangement with Discovery Wings during its initial period. As digital television distribution expanded, Discovery Kids became available on additional platforms, including Sky Digital and the cable platform later known as Virgin Media. The channel's distribution strategy changed after Discovery introduced its flagship Discovery Channel to ITV Digital. On 12 October 2001, Discovery announced that the main Discovery Channel would launch on ITV Digital on 17 October. Discovery subsequently stated that the main channel would replace Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings on that platform from 18 November. Discovery Kids therefore lost its original ITV Digital outlet but remained available through other digital television services. The service continued for several more years as a regional children's channel. Its eventual closure formed part of a broader reshaping of Discovery's UK television portfolio. At midnight on 28 February 2007, Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings ceased broadcasting. Discovery Turbo replaced both channels from 1 March, using the daytime and evening capacity that had previously been assigned to the two services. Discovery attempted to extend the brand beyond linear broadcasting through Discovery Kids on Demand, an online broadband video service introduced after the television channel closed. The online service did not remain actively updated. A number of programmes associated with the former channel, including The Save-Ums!, Timeblazers and Mystery Hunters, later appeared in morning schedules on DMAX. Discovery Kids consequently survives as a historical channel brand rather than an active British or Irish broadcaster. Its development and closure illustrate the movement from early digital terrestrial channel proliferation toward platform consolidation and the use of online video as a secondary outlet.
- 2007
Linear channel closes
[1]Discovery Kids closed at midnight on 28 February, with Discovery Turbo taking over its former capacity from the next day.
- 2001
Main Discovery Channel replaces the service on ITV Digital
[1]Discovery's main channel launched on ITV Digital and was scheduled to replace Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings on that platform from 18 November.
- 2000
Discovery Kids launches
[1]The channel began broadcasting on 1 February on ONdigital, initially sharing capacity with Discovery Wings.
- 1999
Discovery announces two new digital networks
[1]Discovery announced Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings as new ONdigital services intended to replace the timesharing capacity previously used by Carlton Kids and Carlton World.
Products and positioning
Children's entertainment with a television schedule combining general kids' programming and factual or educationally oriented content.
Children's pay-television channel · 2000
Discovery Kids
The principal Discovery Kids offering was a British and Irish pay-television channel for children. It launched on ONdigital in 2000 in a timesharing arrangement with Discovery Wings and later expanded to platforms including Sky Digital and Virgin Media. The service presented children's entertainment and factual or educationally oriented programming under the Discovery brand. It closed on 28 February 2007 and was replaced, together with Discovery Wings, by Discovery Turbo.
Online broadband video service · 2007
Discovery Kids on Demand
Discovery Kids on Demand was introduced as an online broadband video successor after the linear channel closed. It provided an internet-based outlet for Discovery Kids material, but the service was not maintained as an actively updated continuation of the television network. It represented an early attempt to extend a closed pay-TV brand into online video distribution.
Brand decisions
2007
Closure and replacement by Discovery TurboGeneration changeBackground
Discovery reorganised the channel capacity used by Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings within its UK portfolio.
Action taken
Both channels closed at midnight on 28 February 2007, and Discovery Turbo took over their daytime and evening slots from 1 March.
Aftermath
Discovery Kids was followed by an online broadband video service called Discovery Kids on Demand, while some former programmes later appeared on DMAX.
2001
Prioritisation of the main Discovery Channel on ITV DigitalStrategyBackground
Discovery planned to bring its main Discovery Channel to ITV Digital, creating a need to reallocate the platform's channel capacity.
Action taken
The main Discovery Channel launched on ITV Digital on 17 October, and Discovery announced that it would replace Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings on that platform from 18 November.
Aftermath
Discovery Kids continued on other digital platforms but no longer occupied its original ITV Digital position.
2000
Launch on ONdigitalProduct launchBackground
Discovery was expanding its presence in the United Kingdom's emerging digital terrestrial television market and had secured timesharing capacity previously used by Carlton Kids and Carlton World.
Action taken
Discovery launched Discovery Kids on 1 February 2000 alongside Discovery Wings, initially making the service exclusive to ONdigital.
Aftermath
The channel later expanded to other digital television platforms, including Sky Digital and Virgin Media.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/discovery-kids · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled