Page "Prisoner (TV series)" Paragraph 82

In the early hours of Monday, 31 March 1997, the newly launched Channel 5 ( which had begun broadcasting at 18: 00 the previous evening ) began what would be a complete run of the series ( while later episodes were still appearing on many ITV regions ).

( Bar a one-off showing of the famous " fire " episode, 326, as part of a themed soap weekend on Channel 4 in 1995 ), This merited the series its first ever networked UK screening ( although, some areas were unable to receive the new channel at that time .).

This also meant that it gave some areas their first complete run of the series.

Although, the exact pattern of episodes shown a week varied over the course of Channel 5's run, episodes were typically shown roughly five times a week in a 04: 40 slot ( the run did briefly move to a late night slot, with varying times but typically around 23: 30, but this soon reverted back to the 04: 40 slot, reportedly after complaints from ITV that it clashed with their own various runs of later episodes on assorted regions .).

Channel 5's run of the series concluded on Sunday, 11 February 2001, in a double bill showing the penultimate and final episode.

To date, Channel 5 have no plans to re-run the series, despite requests from viewers and several, now mostly defunct, on-line petitions.