Is PlayUK here to stay? (Play UK)

Member Name: Tcraze84

Product:	Play UK
Date:	22/01/01 (248 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good range of shows, fashionable presenters, great scheduling

Disadvantages: Some repeats

The "UKtv" brand of satellite/digital channels has certainly proved successful. Their range of channels certainly aims to cater for almost every kind of person, what with channels such as the "repeats channel", UK Gold, UK Horizons, et al, and the breakaway, newly renamed UK Play - oops, I mean PlayUK!

Certainly comparable to other digital channels such as E4, the PlayUK channel is run with the BBC (particulary BBC 2) and as such allows programmes such as "The League Of Gentlemen" and "The Fast Show" to be shown as some of PlayUK's big audience-grabbers.

A potent combination of music, comedy and a mix of the two together, PlayUK is non-stop, "in your face" entertainment.

Possibly one of the channel's "flagship" programmes is TOTP@Play, a Top Of The Pops spin-off show (again with the BBC connection), which competes, 6 days a week with its fierce rival, MTV Select.

Both are similar in the sense that they are both presented by young, trendy attractive hosts (Lisa Rogers, Sarah HB, Vernon Kay, Joe Mase, Josie D'Arby and others), both invite the viewer to choose the song they want played as well. But in depth, "TOTP@Play" is much more than an MTV Select "phone-in" show.

It includes in-depth interviews, reviews (of music and movies, festivals, TV etc) and you get the feeling that the show is much more run by the viewer than "Select" ever would be.

Musically, PlayUK is a pop/dance hybrid. Its "DJ"-type programmes, namely "Play dance", "Play Selecta", "DJ Anthems" and "The Joy Of Decks" all regularly star big name DJ's such as Judge Jules to the Dreem Teem and cover the musical spectrum (as it were) from garage to house and trance.

Comedy-wise, PlayUK hits the viewer hard with some of the greatest comedy programmes there are today. "The Fast Show",
"Alan Partridge", "Shooting Stars" and various others are almost guaranteed to entertain.

What's more, PlayUK is bundled free with most digital packages (both Sky Digital and ONdigital), so there's no extra cost for a great channel.

If you haven't already tried it out, you don't know what you are missing!

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