ITV2: The Launch, Monday 7th December 1998

This clip sees the opening couple of minutes of ITV2, presented by Gabby Yorath and Vinne Jones with a feat of ITV celebrities from the time. Also look out for the gigantic DOG, on TV you can't see all of it.

The channel was only available on Cable & Wireless and On Digital where it was available in 16:9 mode, on CWC we had to bear 4:3, at times that didn't go to plan.

Apparently the ratings for this programme at the time were only 700 I remember.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• ITV2
• ITV
• GranadaTV
• CarltonTV
• OnDigital
• CableTV
• 1998

[DJFairborne77]

Good video, hard to believe that it's nearly 10 years ago though! ITV2 did struggle for it's first few years though, as ratings were quite low, mainly due to their refusal to join Sky Digital. Once "On Digital" started to go wrong, it was funny that ITV then launched both ITV1/2 on Sky. Quite ironic that after it did launch on Sky, ITV2 fast became one of the most popular digital channels, whereas it's launch was only watched by 700 viewers!

[steviegTVreturns]

I remember ratings turned around overnight the day ITV2 went on Sky, the first time they got over 1 Million viewers was when Will Young won Pop Idol in 2002, the programme was Pop Idol Extra. Don't forget ITV2 was only available in the Granada/Carlton/UNM Regions, and On Digital was available to less than 50% of the population at the time too, at least ITV stuck with it, the top multi channel now I believe.

[gottagothatsme]

Who'd have thought Billie Piper would have her tits out on that very channel 10 years later?!

[ROTSSisalive]

they didn't celebrate its 10th properly did they?

[findnpost]

Vinne Jones "watch itv 2 you slags!"

[findnpost]

@gottagothatsme i shall laugh at your comment for ten more years!

[Feisty1967]

Shortly after this, analogue ITV started calling itself ITV1, which was irrelevant to me because I didn't get digital TV until 2006.

[razordean]

do you have the rest of this video?? It would be nice to see the whole show from start to finish.. thanks.

[Scott2k12]

True It Does Take ITV2

[thepod96]

During the countdown, notice a lot of familiar faces; but the one who says "Eight" - I can spot a few SMTV Live and CD:UK logos in the background! Also notice the woman who plays Ronnie in EastEnders ("Five!").

[sweetiecandykim]

seasoned favourites, that just means old

[HeyArnoldsspleen]

Count your lucky stars you became relevant all over again to make you launching this channel look decent Billie