The channel was launched in the UK on 1 September 1993 exclusively on Sky UK, originally airing for 12 hours and showing both cartoons and live action series. Off-air, the channel would air static logos, schedule information and teletext. Live presentation followed in 1994, branded as Nick Alive!. From October 1995, it started to timeshare with Paramount Channel. When Sky Digital was launched in 1998, Nickelodeon was in the original channel line-up on Astra 2A, and the channel was aired for three more hours. However, analogue-satellite services continued to shutdown Nickelodeon at 7 p.m. each day until analogue satellite was discontinued in 2001. Later, additional channels were added including Nick Jr. and a timeshift version. During 2005 Nickelodeon were in talks with ITVto form a joint venture to launch a free-to-air children's channel. On 15 February 2010, the channel adopted the worldwide rebrand. The TeenNick block also adopted the American identity. On 30 April 2010, Nickelodeon's sister channels took on their rebrand logos. An HD simulcast feed was launched on 5 October 2010 on Sky. Later, it was picked up by Virgin Media. On an unknown date on 2018, or 2019, they stopped showing SpongeBob SquarePants on the network. but the show was and is still existing on NickToons UK.
Ownership
The Nickelodeon channels available in the UK and in Ireland are operated through a joint venture with Viacom International Media Networks and Sky plctrading as Nickelodeon UK Ltd. VIMN holds majority in shares.
Subsidiary and sister channels
Nick Jr.
Nick Jr. first appeared in the UK and Ireland from 1995, between 9am – 3pm on weekday school days on the main Nickelodeon UK channel. On 1 September 1999, Nick Jr. launched on Sky, allowing the channel to broadcast all day. Nick Jr. shows programming aimed at pre-school children, which was previously shown during the daytime on the main channel, but this strand has long since been dropped. Nick Jr. originally timeshared with MTV Dance when that channel launched in early 2001, though this ceased some time ago, with MTV Dance having gone 24 hours since then.
On 22 July 2002, Nicktoons was launched, airing Nicktoons cartoons, as well as other cartoons, throughout the day. SpongeBob SquarePants and Horrid Henry are part of the Nicktoons schedule.
Nick Jr. Too
On 24 April 2006, Nick Jr. Too was launched. It broadcasts Nick Jr. shows on a different schedule from the main Nick Jr. channel.
On 1 September 1999, a one-hour time shift of Nickelodeon was initially launched on Sky. It is available on Sky, Virgin Media Ireland 605 and Virgin Media 713. The channel originally launched as Nick Replay but was rebranded as Nick +1 on 2 October 2012. A one-hour timeshift of Nicktoons, Nicktoons Replay, was also available on Sky channel 630. The timeshift channel replaced the Nicktoons spin off sister channel Nicktoonsters. Nick Jr. +1 launched on 2 October 2012, replacing Nicktoons Replay, which closed the previous day. The timeshift channel is available on Nicktoons Replay's previous space.
Irish feed
In 2004, The channel launched an Irish advertising feed for Nickelodeon. An Irish feed for Nick Jr. was launched in 2006. On 13 September 2012, it was announced that Sky would be launching an Irish feed of NickToons on 16 October 2012. All Nickelodeon channels available in Ireland now host Irish advertising and sponsorship.
Nicktoonsters
On 18 August 2008, Nicktoonsters was launched. Its licence first appeared on the Ofcom website in September 2007. The channel closed on 31 July 2009 and was replaced with a one-hour timeshift of Nicktoons on 1 August 2009.
Programming
Over the years the network has produced series including Genie in the House and the recent Summer in Transylvania. Apart from local continuity programming and Camp Orange, Nickelodeon UK mainly airs imported programming from the US network, Canada's YTV, and the children's division of Australian broadcast network Network Ten. House of Anubis is filmed in the UK, but is produced for the American channel and premieres in the US market first.
Traditionally, the Kids' Choice Awards in the United Kingdom and Ireland before 2007 included only an airing of the original ceremony from the United States. Nickelodeon UK from then on held a full ceremony for two years in 2007 and 2008 which included a fully local slate of categories and was held at the ExCeL London. No ceremony or UK-specific awards were held in 2009 after network budget cuts, and since 2010 only a few local categories are voted by children in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which are awarded each year by Nickelodeon presenters as continuity during the airing of the American ceremony on a one-day delay.
Nickelodeon Land
Nickelodeon Land is a section of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach resort in Blackpool which is a six-acre section of the park featuring themed Nickelodeon attractions and souvenirs. The Nickelodeon Land section of the park in opened April 2011.
