TCM HD simulcast set for Sky launch

A high-definition (HD) simulcast of classic movie channel TCM is set to launch on Sky next week, owner Turner Broadcasting has revealed.

TCM will debut at position 317 on the Sky electronic programme guide on Tuesday (September 4th 2012) and will be marked by a three-week screening run of some of the biggest films of all time, from Ben Hur to Casablanca.

As well as classic movies, the channel is the UK home to drama series such as Deadwood and Hell on Wheels.

A strong 2012 has seen TCM rise to become the country's third most watched film network, behind only Film4 and Sky Movies Premiere. It now regularly attracts four million viewers every month.

Introduced in the US in 1990, TCM first appeared in the UK and Europe in 1999 as part of the Time Warner group.

Jemma Yates, director of general entertainment UK and Ireland at Turner Broadcasting, said the launch of the HD simulcast is "another exciting step" in the channel's continued evolution.

"It's fantastic news that viewers now have the opportunity to watch TCM's vast library of great classic and contemporary films in HD-quality format," she added.