Stylish, Inspirational And Most Definitely Watchable! (UKTV Style)

Member Name: splodgethecat

Product:	UKTV Style
Date:	19/08/01 (736 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wide ranging programming, Not all repeats, Complimentary website

Disadvantages: None

UK Style is one of the satellite channels, which is devoted to home and garden inspiration. However there is a variety of programming which isn‘t only about the home. You will also get cookery, travel and health too, among other subjects. Broadcasting from 7 am to 1 am, this channel is a must watch if you enjoy making your surroundings comfortable or if you do crafts, enjoy antiques or are interested on all manner of women’s subjects really.

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Having said this though, I wouldn’t say it is strictly a women’s channel. There are lots of gardening programs on each day, which I am sure, will appeal to male as well as female gardeners. Also the travel shows featured can be watched by everyone. So what sort of programs would you get on an average day?

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The following programs are a cross-section and not part of one typical day’s viewing. I have included a selection to give a broad picture of what the channel has to offer.

Spa Trek
A program that has presenter Brigitte Gall visiting the world's most invigorating spas and hot springs.

Weekend Away
Here is a definitive guide to city breaks, ranging from Glasgow to Gibraltar and Tallinn to Turin. A delightful program and one to watch if short-break travelling is your thing.

Ready Steady Cook
A cookery program where celebrity chefs help contestants face to up the challenge of cooking a meal in less than 20 minutes. Presented by Fern Britton.

The Rankin Challenge
Culinary expert Paul Rankin presents hints and tips to tickle the taste buds.

House Invaders
The DIY / decorating show in which homes are given a facelift by well known TV interior designers Linda Barker and Anna Ryder Richardson, without any money being spent.

Girls On Top
This show has gardener, Charlie Dimmock and designer, Anna Ryder Richardson finding out what it takes to do other people's jobs. Ea
ch week they take on a new challenge. Amusing and interesting.

Fantasy Rooms
Dandy designer, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen helps one person each episode to create a real fantasy room, including Egyptian, chocolate, angels, 70s style, Roman, surrealism, art deco and so on. Extremely watch-able and very inspiring.

Jane Packer: Big in Japan
The far-travelled, royal florist, Jane Packer absorbs Japan’s culture and designs on a floral-inspired tour.

Real Rooms
Simon Biagi and a team of expert decorators visit viewers to transform rooms in need of a revamp.

Gardening Neighbours
This is an unusual documentary series following eight Sheffield households attempting to transform their gardens in time for a public open day.

Gardener’s World
Presented by Britain's best-loved gardener, Alan Titchmarsh and packed with good ideas and timely reminders to get the most out of your garden.

The House Doctor
Very popular program which features property expert Ann Maurice tackling houses that just won’t sell and turning them into desirable abodes.

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These are just a mere selection of the shows you can find at UK Style. If you are a house and garden fanatic, you could, at a pinch sit and watch this channel all day and through the evening. I tend to pick out one or two programs and watch these on a regular basis, because about half the shows on the channel are repeats of programs that were originally shown on terrestrial TV. This doesn’t matter though. Shows like these are always worth a second look. There are a number of programs here though that are especially comissioned for UK Style - UK Style Originals. These shows have not been seen on any other channel first, so you won’t be tuning in to all repeats.

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I must admit, I do have this channel on my favourites list. I tend to spend quite a bit of time tending to home and garden an
d I can imagine that the sort of people who are mad keen on decorating and home style will have a ball with UK Style. The programs (although of a particular genre) are quite wide-ranging; not at all narrow. You won’t, for example, get a whole day of gardening or a whole day of cookery. Programs are sort of spaced into ’chunks’ - 3 gardening shows, 4 decorating, a couple of cookery programs and so on. Every now and again however, there are 'special' nights, where a whole series of one particular show is screened throughout an evening (or sometimes in the daytime). Shows featured in the past include series' of Changing rooms, House Doctor and Real Rooms.

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It might also be worth mentioning that there is a super website that complements the channel at http://www.ukstyle.tv . Here are all the features you would expect to find on the channel itself plus a detailed TV program listing for that week, with a facility where you can chose programs to watch and have the site ‘remind’ you. Not sure how this would work, but it’s interesting at least. You can also get home and garden inspirations, recipes and more.

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UK Style. Definitely one of the superior satellite channels in my opinion.

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