Looking for something new to watch without paying for another subscription? You're in luck.
TLC is now available to watch on Freeview and Freesat at no cost. Until this week, the popular channel — owned and operated by US media giant, Warner Bros. Discovery — was exclusive to paid-for services, like Sky TV, Virgin Media TV, and streamer Discovery+. But that's all changed as Warner Bros. has overhauled the lineup on the channel.
The iconic Warner Bros. logo on the water tower at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California. Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. owns TLC, which is now available to watch without a subscription to a service like Sky TV, Virgin Media TV, or discovery+
|GETTY IMAGES
While TLC used to specialise in reality television series, you'll now find a schedule packed with popular US sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and the new spin-off Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
Don't worry — TLC hasn't abandoned the shows that helped it make its name, with the likes of 90 Day Fiancé and Dr Pimple Popper, still found in the TV Guide.
TLC, once known for broadcasting reality telly almost 24/7, will now be the home of US sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and the new spin-off Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage
|WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY PRESS OFFICE
But the biggest shakeup to the TLC lineup comes in the form of Mock The Week. The topical panel show finished its 21-year run on BBC Two back in 2022, but it's getting a new lease of life on TLC with what's being described as a "new-look" version, with Dara Ó Briain returning as host.
Familiar faces like Sara Pascoe, Hugh Dennis, Katherine Ryan, Russell Howard, and Angela Barnes will appear as guests on the popular panel show, alongside newer names like Ahir Shah and Sarah Keyworth. Classic segments like "If this is the answer, what is the question?" and "Scenes we'd like to see" are all returning.
You'll also see Zero Stars, a travel series featuring comedians Roisin Conaty and Sara Pascoe exploring destinations with the worst reviews, based on a Danish format.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
If you have a Freeview-enabled Smart TV or set-top box, you might need to retune to see the changes to the TV Guide
|EVERYONE TV PRESS OFFICE
If you want to start watching TLC on Freeview, you'll need to head to Channel 12. Missed your favourite show? Head to TLC +1 on Channel 99 to catch up.
If you're watching through Freesat, it's Channel 144 instead, while TLC+1 lands on Channel 150.
The arrival meant other channels had to shuffle around to make room. Quest, which previously occupied Channel 12 on Freeview, has shifted to Channel 17.
Really has moved from Channel 17 to Channel 44, effectively taking over the slot vacated by HGTV. That home improvement channel closed down yesterday after nearly six years as a free service.
Warner Bros. Discovery decided to fold HGTV's property programming into Really rather than keep it running separately. Shows like Celebrity IOU, Home Town, and My Lottery Dream Home now appear on Really instead.
Freeview always recommends that users retune their devices to guarantee that all of the changes have been applied.
Some Freeview devices will retune automatically once an update is available, but if you're missing some of the new arrivals listed above, or the channel numbers in your TV Guide don't reflect the latest changes, it's worth following the step-by-step guide to retune Freeview Smart TVs and set-top boxes below.
How To Retune Freeview
- Press the Menu button on your Smart TV or streaming box remote control
- Navigate to Set-Up > Installation > Update. The exact phrasing of these options might vary slightly between manufacturers, but it should be relatively similar
- If you're asked for a password to begin the update process, the default codes are "1234" or "0000"
- Select Full Retune, sometimes named First-Time Installation, Factory Reset, or Default Settings depending on the brand of your kit
- Hit the OK button on your remote – and that's it
Your box might check whether you're happy for existing channels to be deleted as part of the retune process – that's normal since the box will need to wipe the existing TV Guide before it can replace it with the new channels and rebranded ones.
Freeview is the most popular free-to-watch provider in the UK, with 16 million homes watching content via its service on Smart TVs and streaming boxes.
More From GB News