Disney Junior (British and Irish TV channel)

This article is about the UK and Ireland version of Disney Junior. For the equivalent network or programming block in other countries, see Disney Junior (international).

Disney Junior is a British television channel owned by Disney–ABC Television Group.

The channel launched on 29 September 2000 as Playhouse Disney, on the same day as the now defunct sister channel, Toon Disney.

Presenters were added to the channel in September 2009. The presenters work on the channel between 6pm and 8pm.

The Playhouse Disney brand, which existed as 22 channels or blocks in 156 countries and territories, rebranded as Disney Junior in 2011.^[1] In the UK and Ireland, Disney Junior began on 7 May 2011,^[2] with its first show as Handy Manny. At the same time the channel started broadcasting in 16:9 widescreen.

A high-definition simulcast of Disney Junior launched on Sky on 9 April 2013.^[3]

When Playhouse Disney was launched, it had the same logo style as Disney Channel, with 2D idents featuring lines and circles. The idents were also carried on Disney Channel.

In September 2007, the channel logo in the external promotionals (programme press releases, promos for terrestrial TV) were changed to include the inscription "Channel" as in all Playhouse Disney Europe channels, but in the channel itself the logo was not changed. This move probably is to differentiate the channel from the US block Playhouse Disney, all mornings on Disney Channel USA.

A one hour timeshift service of the channel named Disney Junior +, launched on 30 October 2007 as Playhouse Disney +, replacing the now defunct channel ABC1. It launched on the same day that the Disney Channels were reshuffled on Sky, involving Disney Cinemagic and Disney Cinemagic +1 moving down the EPG, to enable Playhouse Disney to move up the EPG to allow Playhouse Disney + to launch next to it on Sky 611 and 612 respectively. Playhouse Disney + was initially a 25 minute timeshift service until 11 April 2011 when it became a 1 hour timeshift service.

Disney Junior also airs as an hour-long block on Disney Channel, Monday to Friday at 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. It shows three programmes, usually Handy Manny, Special Agent Oso, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger & Pooh or Imagination Movers.

A live tour was scheduled to take place during 2008. It was shown in several cities across the United States and Europe. In the UK, the tour included Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Brighton.

Current programming

• Art Attack
• Curious George
• Doc McStuffins
• Florrie's Dragons
• Handy Manny
• Happy Monster Band
• The Hive
• Henry Hugglemonster
• Imagination Movers
• Jake and the Never Land Pirates
• Jungle Junction
• Little Einsteins
• Mouk
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Mr. Moon
• Special Agent Oso
• Sofia the First
• Tales of Friendship with Winnie the Pooh
• Zou

Former programming

• 101 Dalmatians: The Series
• Alphabet Castle
• Art Alive
• Art Play
• Bear in the Big Blue House
• The Big Garage
• Bite Size
• The Book of Pooh
• Bunnytown
• Choo Choo Soul
• Connie the Cow
• Dance-A-Lot Robot
• The Doodlebops
• Franny's Feet
• Five Minutes More
• Groundling Marsh
• Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs
• Higglytown Heroes
• JoJo's Circus
• Jasper the Penguin
• Jungle Cubs
• Johnny and the Sprites
• The Little Mermaid
• My Friends Tigger & Pooh
• My Friend Rabbit
• Music Time
• Ooh, Aah & You
• Out of the Box
• PB&J Otter
• PJ'S Bedtime
• Play with Me Sesame (UK)
• Poppets Town
• Pocket Dragons Adventures
• Rolie Polie Olie
• Sesame Street
• Shanna's Show
• Stanley
• Sing Me a Story with Belle
• Story Gardens
• The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

• Official site