It's official, BBC Three is launching as a new broadcast channel three weeks today on Tuesday 1 February.

Broadcasting from 7pm every night, the channel will be available to watch on Freeview, Sky, Virgin and Freesat. It can also be watched live on the BBC Three channel page on iPlayer (TV, Mobile and Web) with live re-start available.

BBC Three will be will be a multi-genre offering and audiences can expect a rich content mix of drama, comedy, entertainment, documentaries, news and sport. As previously announced, the first-ever RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK Versus will air on launch night with other titles joining it to be announced soon.

Also confirmed for launch week, BBC Three will be hosting live football, with both semi-finals and the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) live on free-to-air Television. The huge tournament featuring 24 National teams based in Africa is hosted in Cameroon this year and the three matches all kick off at 7pm.

Coverage will be fronted by Jermaine Jenas and audiences can tune in to watch full games live from kick-off when the channel begins broadcasting from 7pm. To watch full match coverage including the build-up, audiences can choose to watch live from 6.30pm on the BBC Three page on iPlayer.

Fiona Campbell, Controller, BBC Three, says: “We know how popular sport is with younger audiences and it’s going to have a big part to play on BBC Three. AFCON is set to be an incredibly exciting tournament with some of the best players in the World on show and its brilliant news that we will be showing the climax of the competition on free to air television.”

Note to Editors

EPG numbers will be confirmed at a later date