BBC Three’s time on the airwaves has increased as plans to move the channel online have been delayed until 2016.

The channel is now in somewhat of a holding pattern as it awaits its fate from the BBC Trust on the controversial plans.

BBC Three controller Damian Kavanagh told Broadcast: “We won’t be rushed. We will do what’s right for our fans, not to satisfy deadlines.

“Once we have the Trust’s final decision, we’ll start doing more online and in social [media], building up to a move online. You simply can’t turn around something as ground-breaking as this overnight.”

Major BBC Three shows, since it first launched in 2003, have included: The Mighty Boosh, Being Human, Little Britain and Gavin & Stacey.

BBC director-general Tony Hall declared the move to online as putting BBC Three at the heart of the “online revolution” but many celebrities including comedian Jack Whitehall, Radio One DJ Greg James and presenter Rick Edwards have vehemently opposed the plans, resulting in the creation of a #SaveBBC3 Twitter hashtag.

The BBC Trust’s verdict on the channel’s future is expected in June.