The End of an Era: CITV Channel Closes After Four Decades
ITV's dedicated children's channel, CITV, has officially ceased broadcasting after a remarkable 40-year run on British television. The iconic brand, which originally launched in 1983 as an afternoon programming segment on ITV before becoming a standalone channel in 2006, has now fully transitioned to the digital realm.
From Broadcast to Streaming: The Final Transition
The standalone CITV channel initially closed in 2023 as part of ITV's strategic shift to move all children's programming to its streaming platform, ITVX, under a dedicated destination called ITVX Kids. However, the brand maintained a presence through a daily programming block on digital channel ITV2 until April 10, when this final remnant of the traditional broadcast service officially ended.
Industry accounts confirmed the permanent closure, with one noting: 'This really means the end of the iconic CITV brand that's been around for 42 years. Farewell CITV, this time for real.' Another added: 'CITV is coming to an end, for good. After the channel closed in 2023, there's been a CITV block on ITV2 every day, but this ends on 10th April. The new home for children's content will be on ITVX Kids.'
Launching Careers and Creating Childhood Memories
Throughout its four-decade history, CITV served as the launching pad for numerous British television careers. The channel helped establish the careers of presenters including Holly Willoughby, Ant and Dec, and Stephen Mulhern. It also became synonymous with beloved children's programming that formed the backdrop of childhood for generations of viewers.
Fans expressed their sadness on social media, with one writing: 'That's actually depressing. Citv was my childhood.' Another noted: 'End of an era. I remember watching the Pokémon movies on this channel.' A third added: 'This channel was my childhood, loved switching it on in the mornings before school, it will be missed.'
Iconic Programming That Defined an Era
CITV's programming legacy includes several landmark shows that became cultural touchstones. The channel struggled initially to compete with BBC's Saturday morning offerings but found major success with SMTV: Live, launched in 1998 and hosted by Ant and Dec alongside Cat Deeley. The show featured memorable sketches like Eat My Goal and Wonky Donkey, and its Chums parody became legendary television.
Other enduring CITV programs included:
- Art Attack: Hosted by Neil Buchanan, this creative show ran for 17 years from 1990, featuring step-by-step art demonstrations and the famous 'Big Art Attack' segments.
- Ministry of Mayhem/Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown: This chaotic Saturday morning show launched the careers of Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, known for its messy games and gunging segments.
- Jungle Run: A fixture for seven years, hosted by Dominic Wood, Chris Jarvis, and later Michael Underwood.
Tributes from Presenters and Producers
Former CITV presenters and producers paid emotional tributes to the channel that launched their careers. Stephen Mulhern reflected: 'Hello all, CITV started my career in TV, it was an incredibly special time learning the craft of how to present live TV. I will forever be thankful for every opportunity it has delivered. Great people, great shows and great times.'
A Place in the Sun presenter Leah Charles-King, who also presented on CITV, added: 'Goodbye #CITV! The end of an era. You launched my TV career almost 25 years ago, like many who came before and after me. You were my chosen kids channel growing up & it was a dream to become a @ChildrensITV presenter & part of your legacy. You'll be missed.'
A producer for the channel shared: 'Sad to hear CITV is closing today. 25 years ago this month, I moved to London with no money and no contacts, and got my first job, launching CITV's sister channel, Carlton Kids. I ended up hosting 200 shows and became their youngest producer. Life is all about taking risks.'
The Streaming Future: ITVX Kids Takes Over
With the closure of the CITV broadcast channel and its ITV2 programming block, ITV's children's content now resides exclusively on the streaming platform ITVX under the ITVX Kids banner. This move reflects the broader industry shift from traditional broadcast television to on-demand streaming services, though it marks the end of a linear television institution that served British children for four decades.
While CBBC will host some former CITV programming, the majority of content has migrated to ITVX Kids, representing a complete digital transformation of how ITV delivers children's entertainment to its audience.
