The Comedy Channel (promoted on air as comedy) is a defunct Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, and Optus Television. The channel ceased broadcasting on 1 September 2020. History A joint venture between Artist Services (20%), Australis Media (40%), and Foxtel (40%), the channel began broadcasting on the Galaxy platform, and became available on Foxtel on 1 August 1996. After the collapse of Australis in 1998, Foxtel's share of the channel increased to 80%. The channel became fully owned by Foxtel after it purchased Artist Services' (now ITV Studios Australia, formerly Granada Australia) 20% stake in August 2002. In 2006–2007, the channel moved headquarters from Sydney to Melbourne, into the studios vacated by Fox Footy Channel. Until the launch of Comedy Central in 2016, The Comedy Channel was the only channel in Australia specifically dedicated to comedy around the clock. It primarily features stand-up comedy, sitcoms, animated comedy series, sketch comedy, comedy films, and talk shows. Comedy Channel personalities include Frank Woodley, who hosts Aussie Gold; Tim Ross and Merrick Watts, who together host The Merrick & Rosso Show; Cameron Knight, who amongst other things for the Comedy Channel hosted Stand Up Australia; and H.G. Nelson, who hosts Comedy Slapdown. The Comedy Channel transferred from 4:3 to Widescreen 16:9 broadcasting on Thursday 1 April 2010 at 5:30am as part of Foxtel's plan to convert all of its channels to widescreen before the end of 2010. On 31 July 2020, it was announced that Comedy would cease broadcasting in September, alongside sister network Fox Hits, and both channels merged onto the Fox Hits channel space as Fox Comedy. Its current-day programming was dispersed across Foxtel's Fox8 and Fox Showcase, as well as ViacomCBS' free-to-air 10 Shake. Programming Final programming Total Wipeout (now airing on Fox Comedy, ABC and Comedy Central) Original programming Just For Laughs Sydney (2014–present) Melbourne Comedy Festival's Big Three-Oh (2016–present) Acquired programming @midnight Archer Arrested Development Billy on the Street Black Jesus Chappelle's Show Curb Your Enthusiasm The Daily Show with Trevor Noah This Is Not Happening Deadbeat Detroiters Freaks and Geeks The Graham Norton Show Happy Endings Hello Ladies Impractical Jokers Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle Jimmy Kimmel Live! Just For Laughs Key & Peele Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Louie Not Safe with Nikki Glaser Robot Chicken Saturday Night Live South Park Thank God You're Here Tosh.0 TripTank Vice Principals Whose Line Is It