The HD channel in the Nordic region was the first to open in continental Europe, commencing broadcast alongside BBC Entertainment, BBC Lifestyle and BBC Knowledge. It was available on the Canal Digital platform and YouSee in Denmark, and also via Teledünya in Turkey.

Programming on the channel matched that of the HD channel in Poland (though the latter was broadcast with Polish Lektor). The HD service was discontinued in the Nordic region in the first week of January 2016 with the expectation that it would be replaced with the new HD channel BBC First later in the year.