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BBC Three goes online-only in February 2016

It’s official – the BBC Three channel will soon be shuttered, to be replaced with an online counterpart.

The BBC Trust has today approved proposals that see the on-air channel closed forever.

Instead, the channel will become online-only, in hopes of satisfying BBC Three’s younger audience.

The BBC also confirmed that the channel’s “long-form programmes” will be shown on BBC One and Two.

The decision to close a TV channel is a difficult one, and one we have not taken lightly,” says Suzanna Taverne, BBC Trustee.

The channel will become solely available from BBC iPlayer starting in February 2016.

Related: Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video

The proposals have been public knowledge since March 2014, when huge cuts saw the channel’s budget reduced from £85 million to just £25 million.

BBC Three has been home to a number of popular shows, including Little Britain, Torchwood, and Gavin and Stacey.

The lion’s share of BBC Three’s audience has typically been under-25s, an audience increasingly turning to the internet for entertainment.

The channel is currently viewed, on average, by around 11.2 million weekly.

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