BBC Choice was a British digital television channel which was owned by the BBC and was launched on 23 September 1998. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, as well as the BBC's second non-analogue-terrestrial channel launch (following on from the BBC News channel in 1997).

At launch, BBC Choice mainly existed to supplement existing programming on BBC One and Two, with some low-profile original programming of its own. However, faced with low ratings for both Choice and its sister channel BBC Knowledge, in 2000 the BBC's digital strategy changed. Under new controller Stuart Murphy, the channel began to aim specifically at a young adult audience. The BBC ultimately planned to rebrand the channel with the higher-profile BBC Three, which, after some delay, began broadcasting in February 2003.

The BBC had been wanting to expand into the digital television market for a number of years, as their Director-General Sir John Birt said, "The BBC has always been a pioneer of technology". Originally this was by their association with Flextech, which spawned the UKTV network. Both companies had different ideas on how the new channels would be run: the BBC wanted the channels branded as BBC channels, but Flextech wanted the channels to contain advertising. The BBC refused, stating that no domestic BBC channel should carry advertising.

In the end, a compromise was made: Two of the channels would launch as BBC channels: BBC Showcase, and BBC Learning (later became BBC Knowledge), with the remainder of the channels being launched as the UKTV network, intended to be BBC in all but name. Prior to the launch, the channel changed its name from BBC Showcase to BBC Choice.

When BBC Choice launched in 23 September 1998, no digital TV receivers were available to the general public as Sky Digital and ONdigital had not yet launched. Instead, the launch programme was broadcast over the internet, with the first day's schedule including a Tomorrow's World guide to digital television and repeats of the very first episodes of EastEnders and Monty Python's Flying Circus.

The main format of the channel was a mix of BBC One and Two programming as well as original programming such as Backstage, broadcast live each weeknight, which took viewers behind the scenes of different parts of the BBC. The channel also provided exclusive coverage of music festivals such as Glastonbury and extended live coverage of sport, for when either BBC One or Two have to end their coverage early or their schedules are unable to provide live sport action.

BBC Choice also introduced an innovative programme format known as 'Hotlink', which expanded on popular shows. Examples included Watchdog Extra, where viewers could contact the show by phone or e-mail with either questions or feedback on the issues discussed. Crimewatch Extra provided follow-up detail on the cases involved in the main programme, and Row Z was a football discussion forum that aired after Match of the Day finished on BBC One. The 'Hotlink' format has since been adopted by many other channels, particularly both ITV2 and E4.

BBC Choice initially broadcast from 5 pm daily; this later switched to 7 pm. The 7 pm start carried over into its successor BBC Three.