Sky confirms that it will offer 50 High Definition channels by Christmas

Living HD is launched today on Sky adding to a growing collection of channels offered by the provider. In total the Sky platform will be delivering a total of 50 High Definition options by Christmas. The new channel follows on from Good Food HD that was unveiled earlier in the week.

Bringing up the rear will be Eden HD, ITV2 HD, ITV3 HD and ITV4 HD while more channels are due to be announced over the coming months. Another incentive to sign up is that Sky HD boxes are offered for free to customers when they pick Sky TV and the Sky HD pack for the first time. The units are also 3D ready, which will allow viewers to tune into Sky3D, Europe's first dedicated channel that launches on October 1st.

Sky now has more than 3 million HD subscribers, with the provider adding an additional 429,000 in the three months ending 30th June. It has boosted subscribers over the last twelve months by some 1.6 million. Sky currently offers 19 more HD channels than other TV platforms, although this is likely to be challenged by rival Virgin Media as it bulks out its HD offerings.

Sophie Turner Laing, Sky's MD of Entertainment, News and Broadcast Operations, commented: “Sky recognised the potential of HD early and we are delighted it has grown into something which our customers utterly love and now demand as standard. Adding Living HD to our great range of high-quality HD channels only adds to the choice that more than three million homes enjoy."

"In maintaining our leadership, we look forward to offering our customers even more choice of HD as well as new innovations such as Sky 3D and Anytime. With so much brilliant content coupled with ground breaking innovation, it's no wonder that we've seen such strong growth in HD.”