Editing U&Alibi (section)

==History of U&Alibi==
The channel originally launched as part of the new four-channel [[UKTV]] network on 1 November 1997. The channel, originally named UK Arena, focused on arts programming and was named after the [[BBC]]'s flagship arts programme ''[[Arena (UK TV series)|Arena]]'' (The [[BBC]], through [[BBC Worldwide]], owning half of UKTV and therefore half the channel). The channel aired as a part-time service, airing from 3:00pm every day.

However, following disappointing ratings, the channel's focus was broadened to include all drama series, and as a result was renamed UK Drama on 31 March 2000. However, the channel remained a part-time service, starting at 7:00pm.

On 5 November 2001, UK Drama began timesharing with a new sister channel, UK Food, which aired in UK Drama's daytime slot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a3330/uktv-announces-uk-food-launch/|title=UKTV announces UK Food launch|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=11 July 2001}}</ref>

On 10 January 2003, UK Food extended its broadcast hours while UK Drama reduced its broadcast hours to 9:00pm–5:00am.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/uk-food-extends-programming-hours/167791|title=UK Food extends programming hours|website=[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]}}</ref>

On 8 March 2004, the channel, alongside all other UKTV channels, was renamed UKTV Drama to increase awareness of the UKTV brand. On 1 July 2004, UKTV Food extended its broadcast hours, leading to UKTV Drama moving to UKTV Food +1's slot (which had been vacated by [[Blighty (TV channel)|UKTV People]]), although still broadcasting the same hours as before.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/133762/uktv-food-and-uktv-people-to-be-24-hours-before-the-end-of-the-year|title=UKTV Food and UKTV People to be 24 Hours Before the End of the Year|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=22 June 2004}}</ref>
 
On 9 April 2005, UKTV announced that UKTV Drama would expand to a full 24-hour schedule on 30 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/media/a20539/uktv-drama-to-expand-hours/|title=UKTV Drama to expand hours|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=9 April 2005}}</ref> In order to prepare for the transition, the channel moved out of UKTV Food +1's downtime slot to a newly purchased space and started broadcasting from 1:00pm at the end of April, before the full transition to a 24-hour network.

On 2 May 2006, a one-hour timeshift service - UKTV Drama +1, launched on Sky in the vacated broadcast space formerly home to UKTV People +1. It broadcast from 3:00pm–2:00am every day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/satellite/a32356/three-additions-to-sky-epg/|title=Three additions to Sky EPG|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=2 May 2006}}</ref> Corresponding to the name on the main channel shows all programming from the channel one hour later, with no special idents or continuity used.

On 23 October 2007, UKTV Drama +1 was added to [[Virgin Media]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/cable/a78284/uktv-drama-timeshift-added-to-vm-lineup/|title=UKTV Drama timeshift added to VM lineup|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=23 October 2007}}</ref>

Following the successful relaunch and rebranding of the channel UKTV G2 as [[Dave (TV channel)|Dave]] on 15 October 2007, the remaining UKTV channels underwent the same changes. UKTV Drama and UKTV Drama +1 were renamed as Alibi and Alibi +1, respectively, on 7 October 2008, and the channel's programmes were changed to focus specifically on crime dramas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/846913/UKTV-unveils-new-channels-familiar-stars-John-Cleese-Red-Dwarf-crew/|title=UKTV unveils new channels and familiar stars like John Cleese and Red Dwarf crew|last=Donnelly|first=Alison|date=17 September 2008|work=Brand Republic|access-date=6 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920234009/http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/846913/UKTV-unveils-new-channels-familiar-stars-John-Cleese-Red-Dwarf-crew/|archive-date=20 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/09/uktv_to_reveal_eyeopening_watch_logo.html|title=UKTV to reveal eye-opening Watch logo|last=Curtis|first=Chris|date=17 September 2008|work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]]|access-date=6 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921021524/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/09/uktv_to_reveal_eyeopening_watch_logo.html|archive-date=21 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> All non-crime dramas were transferred to the rebranded [[Gold (UK TV channel)|Gold]] channel or to the newly created flagship channel [[U&W|Watch]].

On 29 July 2011, [[UKTV]] announced that it had secured a deal with [[BSkyB]] to launch three more [[High-definition television|high-definition]] channels on [[Sky UK|Sky]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/646048|title=UKTV enters VoD market with landmark HD content deal with Sky|publisher=[[UKTV]]|date=29 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107010131/http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/646048|archive-date=7 November 2011}}</ref> As part of Virgin Media's deal to sell its share of UKTV, all five of UKTV's HD channels would also be added to Virgin's cable television service by 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/04a841ee-c729-11e0-a9ef-00144feabdc0.html|title=Virgin Media sells £239m stake in UKTV|publisher=[[Financial Times]]|date=15 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103053054/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/04a841ee-c729-11e0-a9ef-00144feabdc0.html|archive-date=3 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Alibi HD launched on 3 July 2012 on Sky and Virgin Media, while [[Dave (TV channel)|Dave HD]] and [[U&W|Watch HD]] launched in October 2011. All three channels are HD [[simulcast]]s of the [[Standard-definition television|standard-definition]] channels.
[[File: Alibi-logo-2015.png|150px|thumb|The previous Alibi logo, first used since 2015, and phased out on the day the channel rebranded.]]