Premiere (TV channel)

The Entertainment Network – also known as TEN and The Movie Channel – launched on 29 March 1984 by Czechoslovak-born British media proprietor Robert Maxwell, it was jointly owned by UIP Pay TV Group (MGM/UA, Paramount and MCA/Universal), Visionhire, Plessey and The Rank Organisation, which also developed in-house by Rediffusion Cablevision.

The station went bust on 1 June 1985, but was later relaunched as Mirrorvision in the following day.

Mirrorvision was a film channel from the stable of the Daily Mirror launched on 2 June 1985,[2] whether Mirrorvision and Premiere were merged but continue to be called from the same name on 1 April 1986.[3]

Star Channel was started by British Telecom in August 1986 as an alternative film service which broadcasts between 6.30pm and 2.00am, it has been distributed to several cable operators on videotape form rather than by satellite.

Discussions on a merger between the film services were begun and concluded with Premiere, Star Channel and Home Video Channel all now being programmed within a reconstructed partnership but the channel continued as a separate service for the time being.

In July 1987, the expected closure of Star Channel took place following its merger with Premiere, thereby reducing the remaining film services to include Bravo and Home Video Channel.

Due to losses of around £10 million and increased competition from Sky Movies, Premiere closed on 31 July 1989. The final film shown was 1985's Twice in a Lifetime, followed by a final announcement thanking the viewers as well as a few businesses that helped with Premiere's transmission.