[WillPS]

So it had local variations on cable when it launched?

Each cable company put out their own version. There was a national version, which went out on Sky Analogue in the early hours on Granada Plus - but I don't think this aired on cable (at least in Diamond Cable land). This version then became the version which was on Sky Digital from launch, and eventually succeeded all the local versions.

Worth remembering that in the early days of cable many 'channels' were played out locally from tapes, with local ads inserted (or not, just as often!), so it's not quite as weird as it seems now. It did mean that there must've been a dozen-or-so bits of The Box laserdisc video jukebox equipment in the UK at one point tho!