ITV Is Switching Off On The Weekend - But There’s A Very Good Reason

Don’t be alarmed if you can’t get access to ITV channels from 9.30 am on Saturday, as they’re going off air for a very good reason.

For one hour, the broadcaster is turning off ALL of its seven channels in a bid to shift us from our sofas.

Instead, they’re hoping that we go and exercise to celebrate the Rio Olympics - and that’s exactly the message that those who tune into the channels will receive.

‘We’ve gone running - why don’t you join us?’, viewers will be told.

The move is part of a drive from more than 2,000 sports clubs nationwide, aiming aims to welcome new members to try out a new discipline, in what’s being billed as Britain’s biggest sports day.

It’s a similar move to that employed by E4 on the day of the 2015 General Election, when the channel was turned off in a bid to attract young people to the polls.

Instead, they were greeted by a character called Darren, sitting in the channel’s control room.

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‘How many times have you missed life-changing events because you wanted to watch your favourite show?

‘May 7 is election day and Darren is going to turn E4 off so you might as well go and vote. You won’t forget will you Darren?’, the channel reasoned.