Virgin is set to close Trouble and launch new Living channel

Virgin Media TV is set to close its pay-TV channel Trouble within the next few months in a bid to start off-loading its content business.

The broadcaster’s parent company Virgin Media will close the teenage-oriented channel, which is well-known for shows such as Veronica Mars and Kyle XY, and launch a new version of Living in its place, according to reports.

Trouble’s closure is thought to be part of Virgin’s wider plan to prepare its content division for sale, which could fetch the cable company around £500 million.

Virgin’s director of television, Claudia Rosencreantz, is currently leading internal talks about the expansion of the Living portfolio, which already occupies four EPG slots on Sky and Virgin Media platforms.

Living2 is set to rebrand later this year, with a new name and identity, though Virgin hasn’t revealed any details as yet.

No date has been set for the Trouble switch-off, but Virgin doesn’t expect to need to make any redundancies when it happens, as most employees work across Virgin Media TV’s entire portfolio.

A Virgin spokesperson said: “Living 2 will be renamed later in the year and given a clearer personality and proposition. We are exploring the possibility of launching a third Living-branded channel this year, which would probably replace Trouble on the EPG. No firm decisions have been taken yet.”

Living’s expansion follows advice from brand consultancy Sparkler, which were called in last summer to review Virgin Media’s pay-TV channels and online offering – Living and Virgin1 were highlighted as the two key brands.