Sky3 is a free to view British television channel, available on Sky Digital as well as Freesat from Sky (where it is available free to view), Freeview (where it is free to air), Virgin Media and Tiscali TV (provided as part of the base pack). The channel was launched on 31 October 2005 and is the first free to air general entertainment channel from Sky. When Sky Three launched, it was essentially a "shop window" service for Sky's main entertainment channel Sky1 and its other subscription services, broadcasting some popular Sky1, Sky Real Lives and Sky Travel shows on a delay of between 12-18 months after their original airing. Highlights from the channels schedule include Futurama, Cold Case, Tru Calling, hairdressing reality show Shear Genius (which premiered on Sky 3), Relic Hunter, Road Wars, the Inside stand of documentaries, Brainiac: Science Abuse, 35mm from Sky Movies (which looks at upcoming films in the cinema and on Sky's premium movies service Sky Movies) and Dream Team. Recently the channel has taken to showing some older Channel 4 programmes such as Coach Trip and Searching for My Son. From time to time, movies are shown on the channel. Sky Three has shown the free to air premieres of some of Sky One's more prestigious shows such as season 3 and 4 of 24, Rescue Me, The 10th Kingdom, Hex and the latest remake of Battlestar Galactica.
