Biggs (TV channel)

Biggs

Logo used from 2023 to 2026
Broadcast area	Portugal Angola Mozambique Cape Verde
Headquarters	Lisbon, Portugal
Programming
Language	Portuguese
Picture format	16:9 (1080i, HDTV)
Ownership
Owner	Dreamia (NOS, AMC)
Sister channels	Canal Panda Canal Hollywood Casa e Cozinha Panda Kids
History
Launched	1 December 2009
Closed	4 May 20261
Replaced by	VinTV
Former names	Panda Biggs (2009–2013)
Links
Website	biggs.pt

Biggs (known until 1 December 2013 as Panda Biggs) was a Portuguese basic pay television channel targeted to teens and young adults from ages 15 to 24.

Launched in 2009, it originally aired most of Canal Panda's programming inventory for older children, as well as new acquisitions, at a time when Canal Panda started to air mostly preschool content. The channel removed animated programming in 2021, and at that point only aired live-action television series and films. The animated programming moved to Panda Kids.

On 4 May 2026, the channel was replaced by the Portuguese version of VinTV.²³

The channel was initially set to be named Bute, later Biggs,⁴ but was renamed Panda Biggs at the request of ERC.⁵ ERC approved the license on 19 November 2009.⁶

The channel launched on 1 December 2009 on the ZON platform. It was originally targeted to children and teens from ages 8 to 14. It aired live-action shows, films, anime and animated shows. It also aired some archived series from Canal Panda that was targeted at an older demographic. It planned to air four national programs for 2010, with one of them, a magazine program, premiering in December.⁷ Initially on digital cable, the channel launched on its analog service on 1 February 2010, replacing Cartoon Network, which became a digital-only channel after that date.⁸

Around the time of the channel's launch, rival provider MEO announced the launch of SIC K, which Dreamia executives denied that its launch was MEO's answer to ZON's launch of Panda Biggs, although SIC K targeted to the same demographic. Likewise, Dreamia aimed at launching the channel in Lusophone Africa.⁹ The channel was added to ZAP when it launched in Angola in early 2010; by April of that year, there were negotiations for the channel to enter Mozambique.¹⁰

In June 2010, as part of its summer season, three animated shows premiered on the network, the anime Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, Canadian series Spider Riders and American series Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight.¹¹

On 21 June 2012, the channel was added on MEO, expanding its availability on all subscription television providers.¹²

On 1 December 2013, Panda Biggs was renamed to simply Biggs.

On 1 June 2021, Dreamia launched another Portuguese television channel targeted to children called Panda Kids. It airs most of the animated series and anime formerly aired on Biggs, including new acquisitions and films, some formerly aired on Canal Panda. Initially it was supposed to be a pop-up channel, but due to the increase of the channel's target audience ratings, Dreamia decided to launch it as a permanent channel, while Biggs was refocused as a teen channel, primarily airing live-action series and anime as its key content.¹³¹⁴¹⁵

Starting on 5 July 2023, the channel only aired live-action shows and films for teens and young adults.¹⁶¹⁷

On 19 February 2026, Dreamia requested ERC to change the channel's content and rebrand it to VinTV, as the intended target audience for Biggs prefers to use online platforms.¹⁸ The channel was presented to the public on 23 April 2026 with a special event at that year's Comic Con Portugal, featuring a special appearance from Danish singer Whigfield, where she sung her 1992 single "Saturday Night".¹⁹

On 4 May 2026, Biggs closed and was replaced by VinTV.²⁰

On 6 and 27 November 2016, the channel censored a lesbian kiss in Sailor Moon Crystal, the removal was motivated as a "mere editorial option, although able of causing discordance". Fans criticized the censorship with protests and accused the channel of homophobia, causing it to temporarily suspend the series.²⁰⁶

An episode of Shin-chan where Hiroshi Nohara was in the hospital caused controversy among parents and educators due to a scene involving Shinnosuke Nohara being having his buttocks examined by three nurses.²⁰⁷ The series became a target of an ERC deliberation in April 2017.²⁰⁸ The following month, ERC ruled that Biggs would only be allowed to air the series after 10:30pm.²⁰⁹