- By Tanya Garg
- Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:28 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
MTV UK Shut Down: MTV plans to shut down five of its music channels in the UK by the end of 2025. The BBC has confirmed that MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live will all stop airing after December 31st. The network's primary channel, MTV HD, will however continue to broadcast like usual. The news caused confusion on social media, leading many people to assume that MTV was closing down altogether.
MTV fans have expressed a range of emotions on social media in response to the news, including shock, incredulity, and nostalgia. Simone Angel, a former MTV video jockey, said she was devastated at the news.
MTV former host said, "I’m really sad, and I’m a little bit in disbelief. We need to support these artists, and we all need to dance again and listen to music. MTV was the place where everything came together. So it really does break my heart." Simone Angel shared her experience at MTV was 'like being on a school trip without any teachers.' Additionally, she considered MTV Europe's cultural influence before the internet era, referring to it as 'the forerunner to the internet' and emphasizing its global reach.
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"We were the most widespread TV channel in the world at that point, with between 100 and 150 million viewers," she added.
Social media has been flooding with reactions after the news about MTV's shut down caught prominence. A user wrote, "MTV stopped playing music 15 years ago anyway. We are mourning a brand, not content. They killed themselves by chasing reality TV instead of evolving music content. YouTube just finished what they started." Another user wrote, "MTV was coolest part of our childhood and early adulthood! VJ's looked so cool, introduced us to the music beyond. Me and my sister knew the shows, she made a huge potrait of MTV which we hung in our room. Nostalgia of MTV!"
Remember when MTV played actual music... pic.twitter.com/vyEr5cXDiV
— Retro Recall (☥𝐃𝐁) (@RetroMoviesDB) September 29, 2025
MTV is shutting down; Video Killed the Radio Star was the first music video aired on MTV on August 1, 1981. An era is coming to an end...#MTV #videokilledtheradiostar pic.twitter.com/9Zj30X3D8L
— Murat_add (music) (@Murat_add_music) October 13, 2025
what do you mean mtv is shutting down its music channels ?! pic.twitter.com/Y9OytDdvuk
— j. (@retrolisam) October 13, 2025
MTV was culturally and spiritually dead when it stopped airing music videos. Corporate-led decline of what was once the coolest brand in existence. Sad. pic.twitter.com/ORh7WYbk55
— Casey Rain (@CaseyRain) October 10, 2025
R.I.P. MTV, my music childhood.
— Made in the 70's (@vodouch2000) October 13, 2025
MTV US since 1981, MTV Europe since 1987, shuts all TV music channels off up to 12/31/2025. #MTV pic.twitter.com/8qZfiUoK07
NEWS: MTV is shutting down its music channels after four decades
— Suhr Majesty™ (@ULTRA_MAJESTY) October 13, 2025
I remember when MTV actually played music and didn't suck.
80s MTV was the best. pic.twitter.com/Bg3rCGT0Ee
All About MTV UK Music
With the iconic opening song Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles, MTV made its debut in the United States in 1981. MTV Europe followed in 1987 and MTV UK debuted its own channel in 1997. These channels, which provided a stage for musicians and a common experience for music lovers, were crucial in influencing music and pop culture during the 1980s and 1990s.
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Even while MTV HD will still air well-known reality shows like Geordie Shore and Naked Dating UK, the network's music channels will formally cease operations by the end of 2025, marking a significant turning point in the history of UK music television.
The BBC claimed that the closure of the UK music channels is a component of a larger cost-cutting drive by Paramount, which seeks to decrease global spending by $500 million. Australia, Poland, France, and Brazil are among the other nations that are anticipated to experience similar closures.