Virgin TV customers have expressed anger about losing UKTV channels from their viewing package.

This follows a row between Virgin and UKTV whose stable includes Dave, Watch and Yesterday.

UKTV channels, which make up more than 25% of the channels available on the basic Virgin package, show popular programmes such as the sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf and fly-on-the-wall natal ward documentary One Born Every Minute.

Virgin has been accused by UKTV of making 'drastic' demands to host UKTV channels for free.

Red Dwarf XII: (from left) Chris Barrie as Rimmer, Robert Llewellyn as Kryten, Danny John-Jules as Cat

It stems from a dispute between the two companies over on-demand programming, which is restricted because UKTV is owned by Discovery and the BBC.

UKTV's press office tweeted: "We can’t give Virgin our channels for free, we don’t with anyone else - & you’re (Virgin) not offering them to customers for free. Apologies to customers of Gold, Alibi and W who are being ignored. You can find these channels on Sky, BT and TalkTalk."

But Virgin has argued that UKTV channels content is available free online.

Virgin Media tweeted: "We want to keep UKTV’s free channels, like Dave, on Virgin TV. These channels are freely available over the air and on the internet, but UKTV has decided to cut off Virgin Media customers."

Meanwhile some of Virgin's four million viewers have been tweeting their displeasure, mostly at Virgin.

Garry Deakin tweeted: "Hey Virgin, do I get a discount when you drop UKTV channels? Seriously not impressed!"

Malcolm Speechley tweeted: "I will leave Virgin media if the UKTV stations are not restored. RT if you are of the same mind."

The UKTV channels previously available on Virgin were:

• Watch

• Dave

• Alibi

• Really

• Drama

• Good Food

• Home

• Yesterday

• Eden

• Gold.

Taskmaster Series 5 on Dave - Bob Mortimer, Mark Watson, Aisling Bea, Nish Kumar and Sally Phillips. Greg Davies and Alex Horne seated.

Virgin has announced a host of new channels to replace those to be lost, including the Paramount Network in HD, YourTV — a new channel which is home to Bones and Body of Proof — Love Nature, which is exclusive to Virgin TV and has nature programmes such as Africa’s Wildest Horizon’s and Great Wild Blue and IQTV, which contains quiz shows like Mastermind and The Weakest Link.

Virgin will also be making the Premier Sports HD channel available to all TV customers initially for two months with no additional subscription required (usually £9.99 per month).