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A popular TV channel is shutting down after eight years.
Channel 5 is launching a brand new channel this month, but viewers will have to say goodbye to another to make room.
5Select will be closing to make way for 5Drama, a new free-to-air channel dedicated to drama programming.
Channel 5 to shut down 5Select after 8 years
5Select has served as Channel 5’s "best of" channel, airing documentary and factual content from the wider network.
It features documentaries, arts, dramas, comedies and Channel 5 original content.
This included viewer favourites like Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild, GPs: Behind Closed Doors, and The Yorkshire Vet Casebook.
The channel launched in 2018, and on Freeview it’s only been available on HD-capable devices since 2021.
Despite the closure, factual programmes won’t disappear entirely, with Channel 5 continuing to air them on its main channel and through dedicated streaming and YouTube channels.
Channel 5 to launch new channel this month
With 5Select closing, new channel 5Drama will be going live later this month.
5Drama will focus on drama content from the Channel 5 archive, including All Creatures Great and Small and The Madame Blanc Mysteries, as well as international titles like Gilmore Girls and nightly Australian series.
Soon after launch, the channel will begin airing Home and Away from its very first episode in 1988.
5Drama will take the place of 5Action on the TV guide, moving to Freeview channel 33.
5Action will move to 5Select’s old slot on Freeview channel 46.
The new channel will also be available on Freesat channel 132, Freely channel 26, Sky channel 150, and Sky Stream and Sky Glass channel 165 (as 5Drama HD).
5Drama will join 5, 5Action, 5Star, and 5USA in Channel 5’s family of traditional TV channels.
The new channel will launch on October 21 and will be available on Freeview, Freesat, Freely, and Sky.
How to retune your TV
As with other Freeview changes, some viewers may need to retune their devices for the updated lineup to appear correctly.
If you are unsure of how to retune your TV, it is simple and usually only requires pressing 'retune' when prompted by your device.
Retuning may vary on different devices, but in most cases it can be done by following these steps:
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Press 'Menu' on your box or TV remote control.
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Select ‘Set-up’, ‘installation’, ‘update’ or a similar option. If you’re asked for a password, the default code is ‘1234’ or ‘0000’.
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Select ‘First-time installation’ (sometimes called ‘factory reset’, ‘full retune’ or ‘default settings’).
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Press ‘OK’ if your equipment asks if it's OK to delete existing channels and then your retune should start automatically. If you’re prompted to, save the channels that are found.
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Freeview added: "If you've already done an automatic retune and this didn't work, you may need to do a manual retune."
If you are still unsure, you can watch Freeview's retune videos for more details (available on the Freeview website).
What is your favourite TV channel to watch? Let us know in the comments.