The Express Shopping Channel is to be partnered by fulfilment company N Brown and will offer lifestyle and entertainment programming and shopping to the 11.5m shoppers who have access to satellite and cable.
Programming planned for the channel includes specialist genres such as travel, gardening and DIY, which will be presented by celebrities and people in the news.
The news follows yesterday's announcement that saw Express parent, Northern & Shell, confirm its plans to compete with The Evening Standard and launch an London evening freesheet.
Northern & Shell's business development director Chris Haslum said that the new shopping venture will benefit from N Brown's experience in fulfillment combined with the brand strength and marketing of The Express Group.
Mail order business N Brown owns a number of catalogue brands targeting the older consumer, including Fashion World and Ambrose Wilson.
David Holmans, who formerly worked at Ofcom, has been appointed as channel controller. At Ofcom he was a case officer responsible for regulating the home shopping market.
"I believe that this is the most significant entry into the home shopping market for more than a decade," Holmans said.
The channel will be broadcast from Northern & Shell Tower in London's Docklands and will have 100 staff, including 30 buyers based in Manchester. The Express Shopping Channel will compete with the likes of the QVC shopping channel.
The channel is not Express owner Richard Desmond's first foray into TV -- he also owns soft porn channel Television X.
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