ABC1, the Disney-owned digital channel which originally launched on Freeview, is set to close next month.

Home of a never-ending loop of slightly irritating sitcoms such as 8 Simple Rules and Ellen, the channel began life on Freeview in 2004 as one of the first to launch exclusively on the platform. It later joined Cable and Sky, where it was able to broadcast into the evening, but the acute lack of space on Freeview (and the huge price it now carries) meant it was never able to extend its hours, and it's this lack of any prime-time presence on Freeview that's apparently killed the channel. It will be closing on all platforms in October, bringing misery to lovers of Hope and Faith across the country.

Of course this will leave its daytime slot (6am to 6pm) vacant on digital terrestrial. Will Disney come up with some new freeview treat, or will they go over to the dark side of Top Up TV and use the space for a pay channel? Sadly, I suspect the latter, since TUTV have been hinting at some new additions for a while, and they already carry some Disney programming. More on DS - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a75298/disney-opts-to-axe-abc1.html