TNA Impact Wrestling to remain on Challenge TV

[bassethound]

TNA Impact Wrestling will remain available free-to-air for a further two years, after the broadcaster agreed a new rights deal with Challenge TV.

The TNA programme will continue to air on Challenge every Sunday night at 9pm, just three days after it is shown in the US.

TNA's monthly pay-per-view events, including Lockdown, Final Resolution and Bound For Glory, along with spinoff show TNA Xplosion, will still be shown on Wednesdays at 10pm.

Challenge TV is broadcast throughout the UK and Ireland on Freeview channel 46, Sky channel 125 and Virgin Media channel 139.

The channel started showing TNA Wresting in the UK in February this year, after the programme's previous home Bravo was shut down by Sky.

Sky acquired Bravo, Challenge, Virgin1 and Living as part of its £160 million deal to buy Virgin Media's television business last year. The satellite broadcaster shut down Bravo on January 1, and replaced Virgin1 on Freeview with Challenge in February.

"Our first year on Challenge TV has seen us double our viewership in the UK and Ireland - and we are really looking forward to another two years of even greater success," said Dixie Carter, the president of TNA Impact Wrestling.

"Our wonderful fans have made us the most-watched wrestling programme in the UK and we're pleased this new agreement also gives them the security of knowing they can always watch us on the same channel every week - Challenge TV."

Challenge TV's head of channel Barbara Gibbon added: "We're very pleased to have the opportunity to consolidate our relationship with the TNA team.

"Over the past year these programmes have become an important destination point in the Challenge schedule because they are much loved by its many fans."