View source for ITV2

{{Short description|British free-to-air television channel}}
{{for|the second UK commercial television network (sometimes referred to as "ITV2") proposed during the 1960s and 1970s|Fourth UK television service}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = ITV2
| logo = ITV2 logo 2022.svg
| logo_size = 235px
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2022
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1998|12|7|df=y}}
| replaced = [[UTV2]] <br/> [[S2  (TV channel)|S2]]
| owner = [[ITV plc]]
| picture_format = [[1080i]] [[HDTV]]<br />(downscaled to [[16:9]] [[576i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed)
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom<br />Isle of Man<br />Channel Islands
| sister_channels = {{hlist|[[ITV1]]|[[ITV3]]|[[ITV4]]|[[ITV Quiz]]}}
| timeshift_service = ITV2 +1
| website = {{URL|www.itv.com}}
| terr_serv_1 = [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]]
| terr_chan_1 = Channel 6 (SD)<br />Channel 29 (+1)
| online_serv_1 = [[ITVX]]
| online_chan_1 = [https://www.itv.com/watch?channel=itv2 Watch live] (UK only)
| online_serv_2 = [[Sky Go]]
| online_chan_2 = [https://www.sky.com/watch/sky-go/ Watch live] (UK only)
| online_serv_3 = [[Virgin TV|Virgin TV Go]]
| online_chan_3 = [https://virgintvgo.virginmedia.com/en/epg/1597 Watch live] (UK only) <br /> [https://virgintvgo.virginmedia.com/en/epg/1454 Watch live] (+1) (UK only)
}}

'''ITV2''' is a [[Television in the United Kingdom|British]] [[free-to-air]] television channel owned by [[ITV plc]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/competitions/sites/competitions/files/Documents/itv_Annual_Statement_on_Participation_TV_(1).pdf|title=Annual Statement on Participation TV|publisher=itv.com|access-date=25 April 2017|archive-date=15 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015202919/http://www.itv.com/competitions/sites/competitions/files/Documents/itv_Annual_Statement_on_Participation_TV_(1).pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was launched on 7 December 1998. For a number of years, it had the largest audience share after the five [[Analogue terrestrial television in the United Kingdom|analogue terrestrial]] stations, a claim now held by its sister service [[ITV3]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/monthly-viewing-summary?_s=4|title=Viewing summary|publisher=barb.co.uk|access-date=19 July 2014|archive-date=25 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125052445/http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/monthly-viewing-summary?_s=4|url-status=dead}}</ref> both of which are freely available to a majority of households.

The channel is primarily aimed at the 16–34 age group,<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 March 2025 |title=ITV2 and ITVBe |url=https://www.itv.com/commissioning/articles/digital-channels-slabewht-dj9f4d9z |access-date=17 April 2025 |website=itv.com}}</ref> similar to [[BBC Three]] and [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]], and is known for American programming such as [[adult animation]]s ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[American Dad!]]'' and ''[[Bob's Burgers]]''; repeats of recently aired episodes of soap operas and other entertainment programming from [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] such as ''[[Coronation Street]]'', ''[[Emmerdale]]'' and ''[[Catchphrase (British game show)|Catchphrase]]''; original comedy such as ''[[Celebrity Juice]]'' and ''[[Plebs (TV series)|Plebs]]''; and reality formats such as ''[[Big Brother (British TV series)|Big Brother]]'' and ''[[Love Island (2015 TV series)|Love Island]]''.

==Broadcasting==
===Satellite===
*'''[[Freesat|Freesat UK]]:''' Channel 113 (HD) & Channel 114 (+1)
*'''[[Sky UK]]:''' Channel 118 (HD) & Channel 218 (+1)

===Terrestrial===
*'''[[Freeview (UK)|Freeview UK]]:''' Channel 6 (SD) & Channel 29 (+1)

===Cable===
*'''[[Virgin Media]]:''' Channel 115 (HD), Channel 315 (+1)

===IPTV===
*'''[[Freely]]:''' Channel 6 (HD)

== History ==
Prior to the launch of [[Channel 4]] in 1982, the name "ITV2" had sometimes been used to refer informally to [[Fourth UK television service|an envisioned second commercial network in the UK]]. However, the name resurfaced in the late 1990s for very different reasons. The launch of [[digital terrestrial television]] services in the UK saw each existing analogue terrestrial broadcaster given a slice of bandwidth with which to carry their existing service after the analogue switch off, with space left over for new channels. While strictly speaking this space belonged to each regional contractor for use within their own region, ITV had undergone a series of buyouts earlier in the decade; the three players operating the majority of the network, [[Granada plc|Granada]], [[Carlton Communications|Carlton]], and [[UBM plc|United News & Media]], jointly launched ITV2 in 1998 to be broadcast to most of the country as a uniform service. While free-to-air, it was marketed alongside their own subscription based [[ITV Digital|ONdigital]] platform. Other ITV licensees, SMG, UTV and GMTV launched their own services in the space (see below).

ITV2 was announced in May 1998, and the channel's original controller was {{nowrap|[[Brian Barwick]]}}.<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 May 1998|title=ITV digital channel aims at young male viewers|url=https://www.marketingweek.com/itv-digital-channel-aims-at-young-male-viewers/|access-date=5 November 2023|website=Marketing Week|language=en}}</ref>

ITV2 launched at 7:00{{nbsp}}pm on 7 December 1998. The first programme was an hour-long introductory programme called ''It Takes Two'', presented by {{nowrap|[[Gabby Logan]]}} and {{nowrap|[[Vinnie Jones]]}}. [[Billie Piper]] was heavily involved in the channel's promotion at launch, with an updated version of the 1966 song [[It Takes Two (Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston song)|It Takes Two]] sung by her used as the theme song for the launch programme and featured in the original promos for the channel.

While ITV2 is now an entertainment channel aimed to a younger audience; at its launch in 1998, it was a mixed genre channel and featured some programmes aimed at much older audiences than what the channel broadcasts currently. Despite this, the channel was launched to target a younger, more male audience.

Much of the original content in its launch schedule was current affairs related programming fronted by ITV newscasters. [[Katie Derham]] presented a weekly media analysis programme called ''Wide Angle'', [[John Suchet]] fronted a weekly current affairs discussion programme called ''Who, What, Why'', and [[Trevor McDonald]] presented an interview series, ''Trevor McDonald Meets...''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1999/09/15/T15099933/?s=southall|title=WHO WHAT WHY: ITV2 &#124; Archive Footage|publisher=ITN Source|date=15 September 1999|access-date=5 May 2013}}</ref> These three programmes all ran on Sunday nights.

There were repeats of popular ITV programmes including ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'', ''[[Inspector Morse (TV series)|Inspector Morse]]'', ''[[A Touch of Frost]]'', ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'', ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'', ''[[Gladiators (1992 British TV series)|Gladiators]]'', ''[[CD:UK]]'', ''[[Don't Try This at Home (TV series)|Don't Try This at Home]]'', ''[[Trisha Goddard (TV series)|Trisha]]'', ''[[This Morning (TV programme)|This Morning]]'', ''[[Loose Women]]'' and ''[[My Wonderful Life (TV series)|My Wonderful Life]]'', American acquisitions such as ''[[Judge Judy]]'', ''[[The Jerry Springer Show]]'', ''[[Late Show with David Letterman|The Late Show with David Letterman]]'' and ''[[Maggie Winters]]'', omnibus editions of ITV soaps ''[[Emmerdale]]'', ''[[Coronation Street]]'', ''[[The Bill]]'' and ''[[Home and Away]]'', and a Saturday football results service called ''Football First'', which was promoted to ITV1 in 2001 (while maintaining an ITV2 slot) and rebranded as ''[[The Goal Rush]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Patterson|first=Mark|url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/59155/media-choice-itv2|title=MEDIA CHOICE: ITV2|work=Marketing Magazine|date=17 December 1998|access-date=5 May 2013}}</ref> Other launch programmes included youth magazine show ''Bedrock'' and ''[[Soap Fever]]'' which taken a look at the UK's major television soap operas. There was also live coverage of the ''[[UEFA Champions League]]'' among a range of other sports coverage. Many of the older-skewing drama series were dropped after the launch of [[ITV3]] in 2004, and the launch of [[ITV4]] the year later saw ITV2 ditch sports coverage, except on certain occasions as overspill.

In June 2004, ITV plc announced that they were going to double the channel's programme budget and would add more American series and movies. On 1 November 2004, in an attempt to launch ITV3 on Sky, ITV2 moved from 175 to 118 on Sky after ITV plc bought GSkyB for £10{{nbsp}}million. As a result, [[Plus (British TV channel)|Plus]] was permanently closed down, with its EPG slot taken by ITV3.

On 10 October 2006, ITV announced the launch of a one-hour timeshift service of ITV2, ITV2+1. The channel launched on 30 October 2006 along with ITV3 +1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/satellite/a37981/timeshifts-planned-for-itv2-itv3/|title=Timeshifts planned for ITV2, ITV3|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=10 October 2006}}</ref>

In November 2006, ITV2 commissioned its first soap opera, ''[[Echo Beach (TV series)|Echo Beach]]''. The series was to be interlinked with ITV1's comedy-drama ''[[Moving Wallpaper]]''. In the end however, ''Echo Beach'' was broadcast on ITV1 instead of ITV2 as was originally planned.

ITV2 and its one-hour timeshift channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day on {{nowrap|17 March 2008}}. The hours formerly held by [[GMTV|GMTV2]] were moved to [[ITV4]].<ref>{{cite news|title=ITV2+1 to take Men & Motors EPG slot|work=Digital Spy|date=6 March 2008|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a90960/itv21-to-take-men--motors-epg-slot.html|access-date=6 March 2008}}</ref> [[GMTV|GMTV2]] programming moved from ITV2 to ITV4. On 20 August 2008, ITV2 unveiled a new look. The logo was given a 3D look, with six new [[Station identification|idents]]. The new look co-incided with a lineup of new programmes including ''[[Celebrity Juice]]'', ''[[CelebAir]]'', ''[[The Fashion Show (British TV series)|The Fashion Show]]'' and ''[[No Heroics]]''.

ITV2 was launched on [[Virgin Media Ireland|UPC Ireland]] in the [[Republic of Ireland]] on 4 January 2010, marking the first time the channel has been officially available in the country. The channel had already been (and remains) available to Irish viewers on [[free-to-air]] satellite for some time, however, it is still not listed in the [[Sky UK|Sky]] [[Electronic program guide|electronic programme guide]]. On 1 April 2011, ITV2 was removed from UPC Ireland along with ITV3 and ITV4 due to the expiry of a carriage agreement between UPC and ITV.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/bad-news-for-fans-of-poirot-upc-is-losing-itv2-3-and-4-113698-Apr2011/|title=Bad news for fans of Poirot: UPC is losing ITV2, 3 and 4|publisher=Business ETC|date=31 March 2011}}</ref> UPC Ireland claim that ITV is not in a position to renegotiate the deal because ITV had struck a deal with another channel provider to provide it with exclusive rights to air certain content from the channels. Conversely, UPC Ireland also claims to have been in discussions right up to the last moment to continue broadcasting the channels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://support.upc.ie/app/answers/detail/a_id/324 |title=ITV2, ITV3, & ITV4 channels are no longer available|publisher=UPC Ireland|date=1 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717112651/http://support.upc.ie/app/answers/detail/a_id/324|archive-date=17 July 2012}}</ref> ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 were restored to the UPC Ireland line{{nbh}}up on 20{{nbsp}}December 2011. [[Virgin Media One]] and its sister channel [[Virgin Media Two]] already hold carriage agreement to air certain ITV content within the Republic of Ireland, alternatively [[UTV (TV channel)|UTV]] is available within the Republic. ITV2 is available along with ITV3 and ITV4 within [[Switzerland]], all three channels are available on [[Swisscom]]TV and [[UPC Switzerland|UPC Cablecom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upc-cablecom.ch/en/television/channels/|title=Channels&nbsp;– Digital TV|publisher=UPC Cablecom|access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> ITV2 is registered to broadcast within the European Union/EEA through ALIA in Luxembourg.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.alia.lu/en/television/supervisory-activities|title=Supervisory activities|date=7 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.alia.lu/assets/upload/files/2021-03-17Liste-des-services-de-television-maj-mars-2021_site-ALIA.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320130933/https://www.alia.lu/assets/upload/files/2021-03-17Liste-des-services-de-television-maj-mars-2021_site-ALIA.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Services de télévision sur antenne soumis au contrôle de l'ALIA|archive-date=20 March 2021}}</ref>

From 11 January 2011, ITV2 +1 on the [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] platform has changed its broadcasting hours to 7:00{{nbsp}}pm until 4:00{{nbsp}}am. On 1 June 2011, an additional hour was added in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, allowing ITV2 +1 to start at 6:00{{nbsp}}pm. On {{nowrap|2 August 2011}}, ITV2 +1 began to broadcast 24{{nbsp}}hours a day on Freeview across the UK, using an eleventh stream created on {{nowrap|[[Multiplex (TV)|mux]] A}}.

As part of the changes, ITV2 +1 swapped slots on Sky's electronic programme guide with [[Men & Motors]], resulting in the timeshift channel making a significant jump from channel 184 to 131. It is now Sky 218.

ITV2 was made available on Freeview in the [[Channel Islands]] on 29 February 2012, a few months after ITV plc bought [[ITV Channel Television|Channel Television]] from [[Yattendon Group|Yattendon Group plc]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=498412|title=ITV2 & 3 available from midday|publisher=channelonline.tv|date=29 February 2012|access-date=5 May 2013}}</ref>

In February 2014, ITV2 announced it was to focus more on entertainment programming, specifically drama and comedy panel shows{{snd}}with reality and lifestyle, such as ''[[The Only Way Is Essex|The Only Way is Essex]]'' shifted away from ITV2 to a new reality TV focused channel, [[ITVBe]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=12 February 2014|title=ITV to launch female-focused channel|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/feb/12/itv-new-channel-itvbe-the-only-way-is-essex|access-date=5 November 2023|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> This shift was not for long; however, as in 2015, the revival of ''[[Love Island (2015 TV series)|Love Island]]'' premiered on ITV2, and has since became the channel's flagship programme.

On 23 March 2015, it was announced that ITV2 had acquired the rights to broadcast US animated comedy ''[[Family Guy]]'', which had previously been airing on competing youth channel [[BBC Three]]. At the same time, ITV also bought the rights to ''[[American Dad!]]'', ''[[The Cleveland Show]]'' and ''[[Bordertown (American TV series)|Bordertown]]''. They began airing on ITV2 on 29 February 2016.

When sport was moved to ITV4, this meant no sports would air on ITV2. However, ITV4 was an evening only service, and normally, ITV2 would broadcast weekday daytime sports, including games from the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The weekend daytime sports coverage broadcast on ITV4. On 20{{nbsp}}June 2016, ITV2 simulcast ITV's coverage of a [[UEFA Euro 2016]] match between [[England men's national football team|England]] and [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]]. In September 2020, ITV2 broadcast the British Touring Car Championship rather than ITV4 as the channel was broadcasting both the Tour de France and World Series of Darts, and ITV3 broadcast ITV Racing. It was repeated in 2021 for the [[UEFA Euro 2020]] match between England and the [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]] to allow STV in Scotland to broadcast its own coverage of the match between Scotland and Croatia (this match was also shown on ITV4)

In November 2021, the channel moved into the true crime genre with ''The Social Media Murders'', a three-part documentary series with a different case examined every night, over three days.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=TVZone|date=24 July 2021|title=The Social Media Murders: ITV2 {{sic|Annou|ucne|nolink=y}} New Series|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/socialmediamurders|access-date=27 November 2021|website=TVZoneUK|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Social Media Murders Episode 2|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep2week46/social-media-murders|access-date=27 November 2021|website=Press Centre|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Social Media Murders: ITV release date, cases and latest news|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/true-crime/social-media-murders-release-date-itv/|access-date=2021-11-27|website=Radio Times|language=en}}</ref> A second series debuted on ITVX in March 2023 with repeats on [[ITV1]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=ITV1 London: Saturday, April 15 2023|url=https://tv24.co.uk/channel/itv1-london/2023-04-15|access-date=2023-11-05|website=TV24.co.uk|language=en}}</ref>

In March 2022, ITV announced that their new reality game show ''Loaded in Paradise'', which sees teams in Greece trying to win a chance of spending the prize pot of 50,000{{nbsp}}euros, and ''[[Tell Me Everything (TV series)|Tell Me Everything]]'', a mental health themed drama series, would be two of the first ITV2 shows to debut on their new streaming service [[ITVX]] before getting terrestrial slots, which eventually came in April 2023 and June 2023 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://greekreporter.com/2022/03/11/british-reality-show-loaded-in-paradise-filmed-in-greece/|title=British Reality Show "Loaded in Paradise" Filmed in Greece|date=11 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.televisual.com/news/itv-twofour-announce-loaded-in-paradise/|title=ITV, Twofour get Loaded in Paradise|date=11 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-and-twofour-announce-new-adrenalin-filled-format-loaded-paradise|title=ITV and Twofour announce new adrenalin-filled format: Loaded in Paradise}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=29 May 2023|title=Tell Me Everything {{!}} Preview (ITV2)|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/pr-tellmeeverything-s1itv2|access-date=20 August 2023|website=TV Zone UK|language=en}}</ref>

In June 2022, ITV2 picked up a number of American drama series, primarily teen and family dramas from the late 1990s and 2000s, for daytimes,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/?ts=1657807200000|title=TV listings guide|date=15 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/?ts=1657821600000|title=TV listings guide|date=15 June 2023}}</ref> including re-runs of ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-zv72yb/one-tree-hill-season-4/?episode=b-9twcl4|title=One Tree Hill Season 4}}</ref> ''[[Hart of Dixie]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-x86iqe/hart-of-dixie-season-4/?episode=b-3zem9o|title=Hart of Dixie Season 4}}</ref> and ''[[The O.C.]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-buov7p/the-oc-season-3/?episode=b-km18te|title=The O.C. Season 3}}</ref> as well as the sports drama ''[[All American (TV series)|All American]]'', which had replaced ''Bob's Burgers'' in its 7{{nbsp}}pm timeslot. Subsequently, ITV2 has also picked up ''[[Dawson's Creek]]'', ''[[Veronica Mars]]'' and ''[[Chuck (TV series)|Chuck]]''. Later additions have included ''[[Charmed]]'' and ''[[Gilmore Girls]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What's on ITV2?|url=https://tv24.co.uk/channel/itv2/2024-10-21|access-date=19 October 2024|website=TV24.co.uk|language=en}}</ref>

''All American'' was unsuccessful in its 7{{nbsp}}pm slot and so after a month of consistently low ratings, it was moved to around 2{{nbsp}}am each morning, with ''Bob's Burgers'' returning on 4{{nbsp}}July 2022.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-ft4gmo/bobs-burgers-season-9/?episode=b-kt9fka|title=Bob's Burgers Season 9}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-wu8rol/all-american-season-2/?episode=b-ks9nwe|title=All American Season 2}}</ref> Despite this incident, in January 2023, ITV2 would later stop airing ''Bob's Burgers'' altogether and replace it with ''Superstore'', a programme which ITV2 used to air until September 2022 when it was replaced by ''Secret Crush''. After another three months of low ratings, this decision was eventually reversed, and ''Bob's Burgers'' returned to ITV2 for a second time in April 2023.

In August 2022, the channel axed its Katherine Ryan–presented dating show ''[[Ready to Mingle (TV series)|Ready To Mingle]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/readytomingle-itv2-2|title=Ready to Mingle Axed by Itv2 After One Series|date=4 August 2022}}</ref> after some episodes in the first series received ratings as low as 60,000{{nbsp}}viewers, and picked up the rights to the ''Big Brother'' format, launching a teaser trailer for its return to British TV during the ''Love Island'' final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/tv/big-brother-to-officially-return-on-itv2-following-five-year-break-from-tv-screens-3281567|title='Big Brother' to officially return on ITV2 following five-year break from TV screens|website=[[NME]]|date=2 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-62389219|title=Big Brother will return next year on ITV2 and online|work=BBC News|date=2 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/big-brother-set-for-uk-return-five-years-after-being-axed-and-jedward-are-up-for-presenting-12664002|title=Big Brother set for UK return five years after being axed - and Jedward are up for presenting}}</ref>

On 19 September 2022, ITV2 and other ITV digital channels simulcast ITV's coverage of the [[Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II|funeral of Queen Elizabeth II]] at [[Westminster Abbey]].

On 7 October 2022, the ITV2 Twitter and YouTube accounts were replaced by ITVX accounts in order to streamline the ITV channels for an upcoming rebrand. This came into place on 15 November 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ITV2 on Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/itv2/status/1576935103485202433|access-date=5 October 2022|website=Twitter|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:CITV logo 2013.svg|right|170x170px|thumb|CITV logo, still used for the ITV2 block]]
In March 2023, it was announced that ITV would be closing its children's channel [[CITV]] after seventeen years (and forty years as a strand on ITV1) later in the year and moving its content to [[ITVX]]. In addition to this, it was also announced that children's programmes would return to an early morning slot on ITV2.<ref>{{Cite web|date=10 March 2023|title=ITV announces closure of CITV in favour of streaming-only children's content|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2023-03-10/itv-announces-closure-of-citv-in-favour-of-streaming-only-childrens-content|website=ITV News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Waterson|first=Jim|date=10 March 2023|title=CITV channel to close as ITV makes most children's shows online-only|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/10/citv-channel-to-close-itv-childrens-television-online-only|access-date=20 August 2023|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The block launched on 2{{nbsp}}September 2023 following the CITV channel's closure and ran between 5:00 and 9:00 before being changed to 6:00 to 9:00 on {{nowrap|19 November 2023.}}

On 8 October 2023, ''Big Brother'' made its debut on ITV, with a special launch show simulcast on both ITV1 & ITV2 watched by more than 2.5{{nbsp}}million viewers.<ref>{{Cite news|date=9 October 2023|title=Big Brother returns: 2.5&nbsp;million watch as ITV launch show divides opinion|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67052057|access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref>

On 16 April 2025, it was announced that sister channel ITVBe would be closed and its programmes would move to ITV2, including ''The Only Way is Essex'' which previously aired on ITV2. Animated and live-action comedies such as ''[[Family Guy]]'' and ''[[G'wed]]'' would be retained on the ITV2 schedule. ITVBe's channel slots would be used to launch a new game show–centric channel named [[ITV Quiz]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 April 2023|title=Television channel ITVBe to become ITV Quiz, with The Only Way Is Essex moving to ITV2|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cde23pzll04o|access-date=16 April 2025|website=BBC News|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=16 April 2025 |title=TOWIE AND THE REAL HOUSEWIVES MOVE TO A SUPERCHARGED ITV2|url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/media-releases/towie-and-real-housewives-move-supercharged-itv2|access-date=17 April 2025|website=ITV Press Centre}}</ref>

==Most watched programmes==

The following is a list of the six most watched shows on ITV2, based on Live +28 data supplied by [[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board|BARB]] up to 10 January 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Weekly top 10 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) &#124; BARB|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-10/|access-date=2021-11-27|language=en-GB}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Rank
!Show
!Episode
!Viewers<br />(millions)
!Date
|-
| 1 || rowspan="6" | ''[[Love Island (2015 TV series)|Love Island]]'' || 5.01 || 5.90 || 3 June 2019
|-
| 2 || 5.03 || 5.74  || 5 June 2019
|-
| 3 || 5.05 || 5.69 || 7 June 2019
|-
| 4 || 5.02 || 5.60 || 4 June 2019
|-
| 5 || 5.04 || 5.55 || 6 June 2019
|-
| 6 || 5.06 || 5.44 || 9 June 2019
|-
|}

Before ''Love Island'''s successful return, the highest rated show on the channel was episode 7.01 of ''Celebrity Juice'', starring [[Phillip Schofield]], on 9 February 2012.<ref>[[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board|BARB]], via [http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-10?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718204656/http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-10|date=18 July 2014}}</ref>

== Awards ==
ITV2 won Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards in 2007<ref>{{cite web|last=Oatts |first=Joanne |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a59878/itv2-named-channel-of-the-year.html |title = ITV2 named channel of the year |work=Digital Spy |date=7 June 2007 |access-date=7 June 2007}}</ref> and again in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kanter |first=Jake |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/home/broadcast-digital-awards/itv2-wins-channel-of-the-year/5057979.article |title=ITV2 wins Channel of the Year |publisher=Broadcast |date=3 July 2013 |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> It was also named Non-Terrestrial Channel of the Year at the [[Edinburgh International Television Festival]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilkes |first=Neil |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a73834/bbc-one-named-channel-of-the-year.html |title=BBC One named Channel of the Year |work=Digital Spy |date=25 August 2007 |access-date=25 August 2007}}</ref>

==Criticisms==
In a 2009 episode of [[Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe|''Screenwipe'']], ''[[Black Mirror]]'' creator [[Charlie Brooker]] criticised the channel's programming as being "nihilistic worthlessness" and called it "a monument to cultural death" and "frighteningly meaningless."<ref>{{Citation |title=Screenwipe Review of the Year 2009 (2/3) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5qurJisSbg |access-date=2021-11-27 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2014, the channel was subject to a controversy about one of its shows. ''[[Dapper Laughs: On the Pull]]'' was created by [[Vine (service)|Vine]] comedian [[Dapper Laughs|Daniel "Dapper Laughs" O'Reilly]]. The show was criticised for promoting violence against women<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/29980142/dapper-laughs-apologises-over-sexist-homeless-jokes|title = Dapper Laughs apologises over 'sexist' homeless jokes|work = BBC News|date = 9 November 2014}}</ref> and dubbed by one paper as "a rapist's almanac". Due to these criticisms, an online petition for the show's cancellation reaching 68,210 signatures<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/clicktivism-works-just-ask-julien-blanc-and-dapper-laughs-9860770.html|title = Julien Blanc and Dapper Laughs have learnt about the power of|website = [[Independent.co.uk]]|date = 14 November 2014}}</ref> and a sexist joke glorifying rape said by O'Reilly during one of his live shows,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/news/dapper-laughs-seen-joking-about-rape-in-video-after-apologising-for-sexist-homeless-comments-9851469.html|title = Dapper Laughs jokes about rapes in video after apologising for 'sexist' homeless comments|website = [[Independent.co.uk]]|date = 12 November 2014}}</ref> ITV chose not to commission a second series. A subsequent live tour was also cancelled.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/29993873/dapper-laughs-itv2-says-no-second-series-for-comedian|title = Dapper Laughs: ITV2 says no second series for comedian|work = BBC News|date = 10 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-11-10/itv-decides-not-to-continue-dapper-laughs-show/|title=ITV announces Dapper Laughs show is axed}}</ref> In the wake of the scandal, [[Stewart Lee]] criticised O'Reilly's ''[[Newsnight]]'' apology and said "what kind of person gets banned from ITV2? That's like being banned from a pub that's on fire."

In October 2024, in the midst of the [[Gaza war]], an episode of the series ''Big Brother'' was edited by the channel to remove all images of a watermelon symbol, which has been used as a [[Watermelon (Palestinian symbol)|symbol of Palestinian solidarity]], that appeared on the shirt of contestant Ali Bromley.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rufo |first=Yasmin |date=2024-10-24 |title=Big Brother edits out pro-Palestine symbol on t-shirt |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9nd5ln2xno |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Writing for ''[[The Intercept]]'', Nikita Mazurov compared the action to [[George Orwell]]'s novel ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'', from which the series ''Big Brother'' takes its name, arguing that the editing of the episode represented a "key tenant of the novel: old media being edited and original versions destroyed, leaving no trace of any modification having taken place."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mazurov |first=Nikita |date=2024-11-01 |title=British Broadcaster Censored a “Big Brother” Contestant’s Watermelon Shirt |url=https://theintercept.com/2024/11/01/tv-big-brother-censor-watermelon-palestine/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=[[The Intercept]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Subsidiary channels==
===ITV2 +1===
[[File:ITV2 +1 logo 2022.svg|thumb|Fifth +1 logo used since 15 November 2022]]

The [[timeshift channel]] '''ITV2 +1''' launched 30 October 2006, along with its sister channel, [[ITV3#ITV3 +1|ITV3 +1]]. It was allocated channel number 211 on Sky. On 6 May 2008 it was announced that ITV2 +1 would swap with [[Men & Motors]] on the Sky EPG making a jump from 184 to 131.<ref>{{cite web|last=Shelley|first=Darren|title=Timeshifts planned for ITV2, ITV3|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a37981/timeshifts-planned-for-itv2-itv3.html|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=29 September 2013|date=10 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last= Oatts|first=Joanne |title=Updated: ITV launches +1 channels|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a38625/itv-launches-1-channels.html|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=29 September 2013|date=25 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Welsh|first=James|title=ITV2+1 to take Men & Motors EPG slot|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a90960/itv21-to-take-men--motors-epg-slot.html|work=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=29 September 2013|date=6 March 2008}}</ref> This channel is often unable to broadcast certain programmes "for legal reasons", but the programme in question might still be listed on the [[EPG]].
ITV2 +1 currently resides on Sky channel 218, and is also available on Freeview channel 29 Freesat channel 114 and [[Virgin TV]] channel 315.

===ITV2 HD===
[[File:ITV2 HD logo 2022.svg|thumb|Fourth HD logo used since 15 November 2022]]

'''ITV2 HD''', a [[High-definition television|high-definition]] [[simulcast]] of ITV2, launched on 7 October 2010 on Sky channel 225.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itvplc.com/media/news/itv-2010-interim-results|title=ITV plc 2010 Interim Results & Sky deal|publisher=ITV plc|date=3 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712130553/http://www.itvplc.com/media/news/itv-2010-interim-results|archive-date=12 July 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a279387/itv2-hd-sets-launch-date-on-sky.html|title=ITV2 HD sets launch date on Sky|work=Digital Spy|date=29 September 2010}}</ref> The channel was initially available through Sky's [[Pay television|pay subscription]] service in a non-exclusive deal,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/mar/02/itv-programme-making-talent|title=ITV earmarks £12m to hire new talent to break international hit drought|work=The Guardian|date=2 March 2011 | location=London | first=Mark | last=Sweney}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/aug/03/itv-unveils-pay-tv-push|title=ITV unveils pay-TV push|work=The Guardian|date=3 August 2010 | location=London | first=Mark | last=Sweney}}</ref> before being added to [[Virgin Media]]'s service on 14 March 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://about.virginmedia.com/press-release/9306/virgin-media-introduces-hdelightful-itv-channels |title=Virgin Media introduces HDelightful ITV channels |date=14 March 2013 |access-date=14 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927150231/http://about.virginmedia.com/press-release/9306/virgin-media-introduces-hdelightful-itv-channels |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Original HD programming includes entertainment shows, ''[[Britain's Got More Talent]]'', ''[[The X Factor (British TV series)|The Xtra Factor]]'' and ''[[I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series)|I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp]]''; original drama such as the third and fourth series of ''[[Secret Diary of a Call Girl]]''; and acquired content including ''[[The Vampire Diaries]]'' and ''[[Gossip Girl (TV series)|Gossip Girl]]'' and a range of movies.

On 1 November 2022, in the lead up to the launch of ITVX, the encryption was dropped on ITV2 HD at around 11am that day and so became free to air.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/itv2-3-and-4-hd-to-go-free-to-air|title=ITV2, 3 and 4 HD go free-to-air|date=1 November 2022|access-date=2 November 2022}}</ref> Later that day, [[Freesat]] data had been added to ITV2 HD, indicating that the channel will be made available on Freesat soon. On 8 November 2022 the HD version replaced the SD version on Freesat channel 113.

== Former local variants ==

=== S2 ===
{{main|S2 (TV channel)}}

'''S2''' was a television station broadcast throughout the Scottish and Grampian ITV regions by [[STV Group (Scotland)|SMG plc]], the holder of the Scottish and Grampian region ITV franchises. S2, which aired on the [[digital terrestrial television|digital terrestrial]] platform, was launched 30 April 1999 and closed just over two years later – as part of a deal with [[ITV Digital]] – on 27 July 2001.

By the end of its life, it had lost nearly all of its Scottish programmes and mainly [[simulcast]] ITV2, but covered the ITV2 [[Digital On-screen Graphic|graphic]] with an [[Opacity (optics)|opaque]] S2 graphic.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = S2, Readers' Wives?
  | publisher = 625, Dog Watch
  | date = 6 February 2003
  | url = http://625.uk.com/dogwatch/#s2
  | access-date = 5 June 2006}}</ref>

=== UTV2 ===
{{main|UTV2}}

'''UTV2''' was a television station broadcast by [[UTV (TV channel)|Ulster Television]] on [[Digital Terrestrial Television]] in Northern Ireland. It was launched in 1999 as '''TV You'''. The programming consisted primarily of simulcasts with the ITV2 station shown in England, [[Wales]] and the [[Scottish Borders]], although they did also use archive broadcasts from [[UTV (TV channel)|UTV]]. UTV2 closed on 22 January 2002 following a deal with [[ITV Digital]] and was replaced by the national variant.

== Branding ==
When the channel launched, the logo was very similar in style to the ITV logo at the time. 

The channel received a complete overhaul along with the other ITV channels in 2006, giving the channel a new lime green logo. The channel also received six new [[Station identification|idents]] which all had names beginning with "Too" to relate to the 2 in the channel's name. They were called; "Too Fast", "Too Hot", "Too Cold, "Too Expensive", "Too Glamorous" and "Too Loud". Each of the idents were made up of a mix of shades of green to match the channel's logo.

In 2008, the channel received another new look. The green logo was kept but made 3D.

During [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]'s run in the [[2004–05 UEFA Cup]], the channel was rebranded as '''ITV Toon''' on matchdays, referring to the club's nickname ''the Toon''. The channel's yellow and blue idents changed to black and white, to match the club's colours.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = ITV grabs Northern Rock for Newcastle Uefa matches
  | publisher = MediaWeek
  | date = 2 November 2004
  | url = http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/514096/
  | access-date = 1 April 2012}}</ref>

In line with the corporate rebranding of ITV, ITV2 received a new look on 14 January 2013. The channel's slogan became "the home of infectious entertainment", and received a "hot red" version of the logo and red on-screen identity including new idents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a438502/itv1-to-become-itv-in-major-corporate-rebrand.html|title=ITV1 to become 'ITV' in major corporate rebrand|last=Laughlin|first=Andrew|work=Digital Spy|date=16 November 2012|access-date=9 December 2012}}</ref>

ITV2 presentation was given a refresh on 12 August 2015, with new branding, idents, the introduction of gif style bitesized promos, and a reboot of the channel's social feeds, spanning YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and [[Instagram]] along with the launch of new ITV2 channels on [[Snapchat]] and [[Tumblr]]. As part of the refresh, the logo kept its previous state but was changed colour from hot red to turquoise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/new-itv2-branding-launches|title=New ITV2 branding launches|publisher=ITV Press Centre|date=12 August 2015|access-date=13 August 2015}}</ref>

ITV2 was given another rebrand on 15 November 2022, with new branding and idents along with the launch of the streaming service [[ITVX]]. As part of the refresh, the logo is now coloured pink and uses idents that are cross-used across ITV1, ITV3, ITV4, and ITVBe with different views which reflect the channel's image and programming output.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ITV changes logos and unveils new idents ahead of ITVX launch |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/itv-rebrand-itvx-launch-newsupdate/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Radio Times |language=en}}</ref>

===Former logos===
<gallery>
File:ITV2 logo 2001.svg|Second logo, 19 November 2001 to 28 October 2002
File:ITV2 logo 2003.svg|Fourth logo, 14 July 2003 to 15 January 2006
File:ITV2 logo (2006-2008).svg|Fifth logo, 16 January 2006 to 19 August 2008
File:ITV2 logo 2008.png|Sixth logo, 20 August 2008 to 13 January 2013
File:ITV2 Logo 2013.svg|Seventh logo, 14 January 2013 to 11 August 2015
File:ITV2 HD logo 2013.svg|Second HD logo, 14 January 2013 to 11 August 2015
File:ITV2 +1 logo 2013.svg|Third +1 logo, 14 January 2013 to 11 August 2015
File:ITV2 logo 2015.svg|Eighth logo, 12 August 2015 to 14 November 2022
File:ITV2 HD Logo 2015.svg|Third HD logo, 12 August 2015 to 14 November 2022
File:ITV2 +1 Logo 2015.svg|Fourth +1 logo, 12 August 2015 to 14 November 2022
</gallery>

==Programming==

{{main|List of television programmes broadcast by ITV2}}

The channel nowadays is known for American programming such as [[adult animation]]s ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[American Dad!]]'' and ''[[Bob's Burgers]]''; repeats of recently aired episodes of soap operas and other entertainment programming from [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] such as ''[[Coronation Street]]'', ''[[Emmerdale]]'', and ''[[Catchphrase (British game show)|Catchphrase]]''; original comedy such as ''[[Celebrity Juice]]'' and ''[[Plebs (TV series)|Plebs]]'', and reality formats such as ''[[Big Brother (British TV series)|Big Brother]]'' and ''[[Love Island (2015 TV series)|Love Island]]''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{itv.com|id=itv2|title=ITV2}}

{{ITV}}
{{Media in the United Kingdom|television}}
{{Freeview}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Itv2}}
[[Category:1998 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:ITV television channels]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1998]]
[[Category:Television channels in the United Kingdom]]