07 June 2023 , 06:00
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If you use Freeview you might have a frustrating few days ahead. The telly company has confirmed that millions of homes could face disruption due to a band of high pressure currently hovering over the UK. This type of weather can wreak havoc with the signal that beams content to televisions and it’s going to stick around for the rest of this week and long into the weekend.
“Freeview viewers across parts of the country could see some disruption to their TV reception between Wednesday 7th June and Sunday 11th June. This is due to high pressure which could disrupt the TV signals which Freeview uses,” the company said in an update on its help page.
The most important thing to remember, if your telly starts playing up, is to leave it well alone and not start tinkering or retuning it. Because it’s the actual signal that’s affected, no matter what you try at home it won’t fix the issues and will simply waste your time.
“You are advised not to retune your TV during this time - reception will be restored once the high pressure passes,” Freeview added.
If your viewing is being heavily disrupted and you're desperate to watch your favourite soap or game show then it’s worth checking to see if you have access to Freeview Play instead.
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This service uses the web to show movies, live telly and on-demand content so your viewing won’t be ruined by the British weather.
Freeview Play comes included on most modern smart TVs and you'll find it as part of the app section on your television's Home Screen.
If your telly doesn't have this option don't panic as the Freeview app is also available for mobile and tablet devices.
The latest issues for Freeview come just a few weeks after the service was hit by more problems due to high pressure.
Why is your telly affected by conditions?
According to Freeview, certain weather conditions, including high pressure (which generally brings fine weather or morning fog), may sometimes affect your Freeview reception.
Interference caused by atmospheric conditions is temporary and should clear once the weather changes.