What happened to Ideal World shopping channel?
Viewers of the popular shopping channel have been left dismayed.
Viewers of the popular shopping channel Ideal World have been left scratching their heads after discovering all programming is no longer on air.
Viewers tuning into Freeview, Sky, Freesat and Virgin Media earlier this week were faced with a message stating that it is no longer being broadcast.
Meanwhile, visitors heading to the channel’s website were met with the message: “We regret to inform you that Ideal World have had to temporarily suspend broadcasting and our website."
It continues: "We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused. We hope to be back online as soon as possible.”
The move comes after the channel dropped off ITV and Virgin Media last month, and naturally fans of the channel are wondering why the channel has been suspended and whether it will return. Read on for everything you need to know.
What has happened to Ideal World?
The shopping television channel has gone bust, with the majority of its 275 staff to be made redundant.
Administrators at Kroll have taken over the business.
Michael Lennon, managing director of Restructuring at Kroll, said the collapse was due to a slump in viewers.
“Over the last few years, the Direct Response TV (DRTV) sector globally has suffered a decline in viewer and customer numbers as consumer spending habits changed," he said.
He continued: “Whilst Ideal World TV had brought in a significant number of new brands and retail partners to the channel over the last year, overall trading was not strong enough for the business to continue in its present format.
“Our immediate priority is to provide support to all the employees impacted by the Administration.”
The channel fell off ITV and dropped from Virgin Media in June.
Then, at 3pm on Monday (3rd July), the channel came off air altogether, according to The i Paper.
It comes after a period of significant change at the shopping channel, which was taken over by private investor Hamish Morjaria in 2022.
Documents filed at Companies House revealed that Morjaria ceased to have “significant control” in February, The Peterborough Telegraph reports, with Sportsdirect.com Retail Ltd then taking charge since June.
What is Ideal World?
Launched in 2000, Ideal World is a Peterborough-based TV shopping channel.
When on air, it offered more than 18 hours of live TV a day, showcasing a range of products for customers to purchase.
Celebrities who have appeared on the channel in the past include former Made In Chelsea star Binky Felstead, This Morning regular Vanessa Feltz, Blue Peter legend Anthea Turner, former Brookside actress Claire Sweeney and comedian Johnny Vegas.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
