Pokémon in the United Kingdom: Difference between revisions

{{wp|Sky One}} was a British pay television channel owned and operated by {{wp|Sky Group|Sky}}, a subsidiary of {{wp|Comcast}}<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/b402969a-cbd5-11e8-b276-b9069bde0956 ''Comcast completes Sky deal'' - Financial Times] (retrieved 20 May 2020)</ref>, that first began broadcasting on 26 April 1982 and served (along with sister channel {{wp|Sky Atlantic}}) as the flagship channel for {{wp|Sky UK}} and {{wp|Sky Ireland}}. The channel ceased broadcast on 31 August 2021 and was replaced with two new channels; {{wp|Sky Showcase}} and {{wp|Sky Max}}.

On 11 March 2006, CITV launched as a separate channel<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060301023815/http://media247.co.uk/skydigital/newsarchive/2006/02/citv_to_launch.php ''CITV to launch on Sky in May'' - Media 247] (archived from the original 1 March 2006; retrieved 21 May 2020)</ref>, owned and operated by ITV plc, that broadcasts from 6am to 9pm daily. Between 2006 and July 2010, the CITV channel (including Pokémon episodes) was often simulcast on {{wp|ITV 4}} during that channel's ''GMTV2'' block.

{{wp|ITV Hub}} (originally ITV Player) is an ad-supported streaming {{wp|video on demand}} service, owned and operated by ITV plc, that launched as a unified service on 5 December 2008<ref>[https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/itvs-catch-rebranded-itv-player/867729 ''ITV's Catch Up rebranded ITV Player'' - Campaign] (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>. The service offers programmes shown on the ITV network and its sister channels (including CITV). The service is available via the ITV website and dedicated apps for {{wp|iOS}}, {{wp|Android (operating system)|Android}} or {{wp|Smart TV}} devices.

Between 11 May 2005 and 5 October 2005, ''[[Pokémon Chronicles]]'' had its world premiere on the UK Toonami channel<ref name="Toonami" />, and the channel then began airing [[S08|season eight]] of the anime<ref>{{n|Toonami UK snags Pokémon: Advanced Battle|''Toonami UK snags Pokémon: Advanced Battle'' - Bulbanews}} (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>. Toonami / Cartoon Network Too then went on to air [[S09|seasons nine]] and [[S10|ten]] as well as broadcasting episodes from previous seasons, beginning with [[S03|season three]].

{{wp|Disney XD (British and Irish TV channel)|Disney XD (UK)}} was a British children's channel owned and operated by [[The Walt Disney Company#Disney Channels Worldwide|Disney Channels Worldwide]] that aired between 2 October 1996 and 1 October 2020.<ref>[https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/25/21303043/disney-channel-united-kingdom-xd-streaming-plus-new-zealand-sky-comcast ''Disney is eliminating Disney Channel in the UK, moving titles to Disney Plus'' - The Verge]  (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref> Originally named {{wp|Fox Kids}}, the channel was rebranded as {{wp|Jetix}} in January 2005<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150222015625/http://www.jetixeurope.com/site/press_office/press_releases/2004-01-08_-_jetix_launch.html ''ABC Cable Networks Group, Fox Kids Europe And Fox Kids Latin America Launch Jetix As New Global Action-adventure Kids Programming Business'' - Jetix Europe] (archived from the original 22 February 2015; retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref> and then as Disney XD in August 2009<ref>[https://www.digitalspy.com/media/a148638/jetix-to-become-disney-xd/ ''Jetix to become Disney XD'' - Digital Spy] (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>.

{{wp|Pop (British and Irish TV channel)|POP}} and sister channel {{wp|Pop Max|POP Max}}, are children's television channels owned and operated by Narrative Capital. POP launched on 1 October 2002 as Toons & Tunes before rebranding in May 2003. POP Max launched as Kix! on 19 May 2008 before rebranding in August 2017. Both channels were launched by {{wp|CSC Media Group}}, which was acquired by {{wp|Sony Pictures Television}} on 15 August 2014<ref>[https://tbivision.com/2014/08/15/sony-closes-csc-deal-ups-kate-marsh/317571/ ''Sony closes CSC deal, ups Kate Marsh'' - Television Business International] (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>. On 25 May 2021, Sony Pictures Television sold its UK channels to Narrative Capital<ref>[https://variety.com/2021/tv/global/sony-channels-uk-sold-narrative-1234972645/ ''Sony Pictures Television U.K. Channels Sold to U.S. Investment Firm Narrative Capital'' - Variety] (retrieved 21 June 2021)</ref>.

The POP website features a ''Pokémon Picture Puzzler'' {{wp|sliding puzzle}} game based on ''[[Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon]]''<ref>[https://www.popfun.co.uk/games/pokemon-puzzle-game ''Pokémon Picture Puzzler'' - POP] (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>, as well as a page about the [[Pokémon 25th Anniversary]]<ref>[https://www.popfun.co.uk/special/pokemon-day-celebrate-25th-anniversary ''Pokémon Day | Celebrate the 25th anniversary'' - POP] (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>.

On 23 April 2020 it was announced that POP would gain the exclusive first-run rights to the Pokémon anime<ref name="pop" />, and on 25 May 2020 the first four episodes of [[S23|season 23]] aired on the channel as a preview. On 1 September 2020, the season premiered on the channel.

POP Player is streaming {{wp|video on demand}} service, owned and operated by Narrative Capital that launched on 4 December 2017. The service features shows from {{wp|Tiny Pop}}, POP and POP Max and is available via dedicated apps for {{wp|iOS}}, {{wp|Android (operating system)|Android}}, {{wp|PlayStation 4}} and other {{wp|Smart TV}} platforms<ref>[https://www.popfun.co.uk/special/pop-player ''POP Player'' - POP] (retrieved 22 February 2021)</ref>.

* {{game|Black and White|s}} were represented in the UK by ''{{wp|The X Factor (UK TV series)|The X Factor}}'' finalists {{wp|One Direction}}. The group promoted the games through television commercials and concerts, and its members have been life-long Pokémon fans.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230320090249/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/26004/x-factor-stars-one-direction-revealed-as-ambassadors-for-pokemon-black-version-and-pokemon-white-version ''X Factor Stars One Direction Revealed as Ambassadors for Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version'' - Nintendo World Report] (archived from the original 20 March 2023; retrieved 20 March 2023)</ref> They are one of a number of acts representing Nintendo as ambassadors in the UK, which has also included {{wp|Alexandra Burke}}, {{wp|JLS}} and {{wp|The Saturdays}}.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210730145345/https://www.nintendo-insider.com/the-saturdays-become-nintendo-ambassadors-in-latest-tv-campaign/ ''The Saturdays become Nintendo ambassadors in latest TV campaign'' - Nintendo Insider] (archived from the original 30 July 2021; retrieved 20 March 2023)</ref>