UK viewers are being advised to rescan their television sets following a series of channel alterations introduced through a fresh Freeview refresh.
The recent refresh brings four modifications, including the introduction of one fresh service.
Freeview, in a statement on its website, indicated that on 22nd April 2026, certain broadcasters would be implementing channel adjustments.
Viewers must rescan to refresh their television and maintain their channel lineup and programme guide current.
Details of the channel alterations in the fresh Freeview refresh
The channel modifications introduced through this latest Freeview refresh are as follows:
Service name alterations
That’s TV 3 becomes That’s 20th Century (channel 71)
That’s TV 3 MCR becomes That’s 20th Century MCR (channel 86)
That’s Classics MCR becomes That’s Classics (channel 93)
New service launch
That’s Entertainment (channel 75)
These recent channel updates are already active.
Freeview noted that services on the platform are continually developing, with individual providers making independent choices regarding relocating, introducing, or discontinuing channels.
ITV closes channel following four decades
The recent Freeview refresh follows ITV’s discontinuation of one of its channels after 42 years of broadcasting.
The children’s service CITV ceased operations permanently on 10th April, having originally launched in 1980.
The channel showcased popular programmes including Art Attack, My Parents Are Aliens, Tots TV, and Fraggle Rock.
CITV originally launched as Watch IT before becoming Children’s ITV and subsequently abbreviated to CITV.
In 2006, its late-afternoon slot on ITV1 was cancelled as it transferred to its own dedicated channel on Freeview, while continuing to air weekend mornings on ITV’s main channels.
The CITV Freeview channel was subsequently closed and superseded by the streaming platform ITVX Kids Hub on ITVX in 2023, with weekend broadcasts transferring to ITV2.
Now, after 42 years of broadcasting, CITV has been discontinued, according to Media Central UK.
The media outlet, posting on X, stated that the CITV block on ITV2 was officially concluding on 10th April, marking the final end of the renowned CITV brand that had existed for 42 years.
Some of CITV’s content would be available on CBBC, while the remainder would be found on ITVX Kids.
Rescanning your television
Viewers must rescan their television to access all these fresh channel updates.
For those uncertain about how to rescan their television, the process is straightforward and typically only requires selecting the rescan option when prompted, according to Freeview.
Rescanning procedures may differ depending on the device, though in most instances Freeview indicated it can be completed by following these steps:
Press the Menu button on your set-top box or television remote.
Choose Set-up, installation, update or a comparable option. If prompted for a password, the default code is typically 1234 or 0000.
Select First-time installation (sometimes referred to as factory reset, full rescan or default settings).
Confirm if prompted that existing channels can be deleted, and the rescan should then commence automatically. Save any discovered channels if asked to do so.
Freeview noted that if an automatic rescan has already been performed without success, a manual rescan might be necessary.
For additional assistance, Freeview provides rescanning video guides on its website.