Looking for something new to watch in January but don't want to spend any money on the latest blockbuster sale from Sky TV? You're in luck — Channel 4 has teamed up with UKTV to add thousands of hours of free British content to its streaming service.
The collaboration comes only a few weeks after UKTV brought its lineup of channels and on-demand boxsets to Freely, which also added the ability to stream and rewind GB News this time last year. For the first time, Channel 4 viewers will be able to watch UKTV originals and BBC classics – both catch-up and boxsets – alongside the channel's own original, award-winning programming.
You can start enjoying new programs in the Channel 4 app today, including popular classics like The Office, Red Dwarf, Outrageous, and more
| UKTV PRESS OFFICEThis marks the first time Channel 4 has ever hosted another broadcaster’s content and promises to add thousands of hours of new shows, documentaries, and reality television to your existing streamer. This multi-year partnership means thousands of hours of homegrown entertainment will now sit side by side, giving audiences one destination for the best of British television, the broadcasters claim.
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Some of the new additions, now available to watch in the Channel 4 app, which is available on the biggest Smart TV platforms, including Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku, as well as newer gadgets, like the Apple Vision Pro, include the likes of the original BBC series The Office with Ricky Gervais as inept boss David Brent, the cult science-fiction show Red Dwarf, QI XL, Bergerac, comedy panel show Would I Lie To You?, Birds of a Feather, Have I Got A Bit More News For You, Lee Mack sit-com Not Going Out, MasterChef Australia, Spooks, and Marlow Murder Club – an adaptation of Robert Thorogood's best-selling novel, to name just a few.
Channel 4 was the first UK broadcaster to develop its own Vision Pro app, offering an immersive new way to stream shows like Taskmaster, as well as its catalogue of award-winning comedies and documentaries | CHANNEL 4 PRESS OFFICE With even more U content landing on the service in the coming weeks, these new additions should complement the thousands of hours already available to stream from Channel 4, like Gogglebox, The Great British Bake Off, Married at First Sight UK and 24 Hours in Police Custody, distinctive content such as The Piano and The Jury: Murder Trial, acclaimed dramas such as The Handmaid’s Tale and Patience, side-splitting comedies from Big Boys to Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping, hard hitting documentaries including To Catch A Copper, plus talked-about reality including Virgin Island.
UKTV Chief Executive Marcus Arthur said: “With our U service now also available on Channel 4 streaming, UKTV’s popular and award-winning shows can reach new audiences and Channel 4 viewers get even more choice. It’s the perfect partnership, built on putting viewers first.”
The decision to embrace streaming is part of Channel 4's ambitious Fast Forward strategy to become a proper digital-first broadcaster by 2030. That date is when Freely is expected to overtake Freeview and Freesat as the primary way for UK households to access free-to-air channels.
As well as launching streaming-only channels on Freely, Channel 4 has experimented with exclusive shows for YouTube, as well as bringing complete boxsets to the Google-owned platform.
“This bold new deal strengthens Channel 4’s streaming proposition,” said Jonathan Allan, Channel 4’s Interim CEO. “Loads of brilliant British content from U will complement our own bold, noisy shows, and UKTV will benefit from tapping into our younger streaming audience.”
The collaboration arrives as Channel 4’s streaming service continues to soar, with viewer minutes up 13% in 2024 — outpacing international rivals and boasting the youngest commercial audience in the UK. UKTV’s on-demand viewing jumped 40% last year, making U the country’s fastest-growing streaming service.
The U service will continue to run independently, meaning fans can still access it through its own platform.
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