UKTV and Everyone TV - the organisation leading the evolution of free TV in the UK – have announced that the multi-award-winning broadcaster will bring its on demand service U to new streaming platform, Freely, this month, alongside streamed live channels U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W and U&YESTERDAY.
UKTV joins the public service broadcasters backing Freely, which is integrated into the next generation of smart TVs and offers viewers 96% of the nation’s favourite shows. The new partnership brings a wide variety of high-quality titles to the platform including U Originals The Marlow Murder Club, Battle In The Box, Rosie Jones’s Disability Comedy Extravaganza, Katherine Ryan: Parental Guidance, Bangers & Cash and Emma Willis: Delivering Babies.
Jonathan Newman, General Manager, Commercial, UKTV, said: “We’re delighted that our free streaming service U and portfolio of free-to-air channels, recently united under the U Masterbrand, are joining the Freely line-up. It further supports our audience-led strategy, ensuring our viewers can easily access UKTV’s content in a digital world.”
Freely, which launched in April 2024, enables British audiences to stream live channels and seamlessly browse on demand content from the nation’s biggest broadcasters – BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – all in one place, for free. Viewers can take advantage of innovative features on the new platform such as pause, restart and access to more episodes, without having to pay for the service. The new platform ensures all audiences continue to have easy access to an aggregated free TV experience, however they choose to connect.
Freely provides access to 70,000 hours of on demand content, more than that offered by any SVOD service in the UK, including Netflix, Disney+ and AppleTV+. This vast catalogue of the best of British television exists alongside countless hours of streamed live TV that are also uniquely integrated into the service.
Latest data from Ampere Analysis shows that Freely has a significant library of on demand content for UK audiences to enjoy, allowing audiences to browse the UK’s biggest hits includingThe Traitors, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, Happy Valley, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, and All Creatures Great and Small. Plus, household favourites including Doctor Who, Red Eye, Married at First Sight, and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Viewers can also binge British classics such as Gavin & Stacey, Peep Show, The Inbetweeners, Spooks and Last Tango in Halifax.
What’s more, TV fans can look forward to all the latest new shows coming to Freely this autumn, including Alma’s Not Normal, Wallace and Gromit, Mr Loverman, My Mum Your Dad, Playing Nice, Generation Z, Swiped: The School that Banned Mobile Phones, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, The Great Explorers with James May, and The Hardacres.
Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV, said: “Freely enables audiences to seamlessly browse and stream a vast library of high-quality content from the UK’s biggest broadcasters, all in one place, but with the added advantage that it’s the same trusted, relevant and reliable programming they have always known.
"The new platform brings together local, originated programming that champions UK talent and UK stories. It gives viewers access to the best of British TV, with shows that reflect our nation, driving the national conversation and broadening the common investment that all audiences have in our society.
“At its heart, Freely is about championing access to British content for British audiences. This has only been possible through a major collaboration between the UK’s main public service broadcasters, who are committed to securing the future of free TV in the streaming age."
Lottie Towler, Principal Analyst, Ampere Analysis, said: “The results of this research indicate that Freely's extensive catalogue is highly competitive in size when compared with major streamers in the market. Additionally, it offers consumers a unified and simplified experience for accessing broadcaster content, which is increasingly important in a competitive and fragmented market.”
Freely smart TVs are available in stores across the UK and online at retailers such as Currys, Argos, AO, Very & John Lewis.
Notes to Editors
The first iterations of Freely are now in market, on Bush, Hisense, Toshiba, and Panasonic 2024 smart TV models, with additional features and software updates being provided to users as the service develops.
Freely TVs can be placed anywhere in the home where there’s a Wi-Fi connection, without the need for a dish or aerial.
Data provided by Ampere Analysis shows Freely has more hours of on demand content than AcornTV, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, BFI Player, CuriosityStream, Discovery+, Disney+, Filmdoo, Filmzie, Freevee, GuideDoc, Hayu, Mubi, Netflix, NOW, Paramount+, Plex, Pluto TV, Rakuten TV, RTE Player, Shudder, Tubi, Viaplay and Zee5.
Data based on number of hours of on demand content available across the listed services as of July 2024. Add-on services, TVOD and live sports content not included. Data set includes SVODs listed only, streaming devices are not included.
*96% of the UK’s most watched shows: BARB (Feb 2024 – Jul 2024).
For press enquiries please contact:
yvette.dore@uktv.co.uk
press@everyonetv.co.uk
About Everyone TV
Everyone TV (formerly Digital UK) is a joint venture owned and supported by the UK's leading public service broadcasters – the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
Leading the evolution of free TV into the streaming age, Everyone TV believes that great quality TV should be accessible to all, regardless of location or income. Through delivering compelling free TV services for audiences and advocating for the future of free TV, Everyone TV ensures the best content made for British audiences remains free, easily accessible and discoverable.
In 2024, Everyone TV launched Freely, a new streaming service which allows viewers to watch the best live and on demand TV for free, all in one place. Freely is now available in the UK through the next generation of smart TVs.
Everyone TV also runs the UK’s free-to-view TV platforms – Freeview and Freesat – reaching over 15 million UK households.
Formerly known as Digital UK, the organisation updated its name to Everyone TV in January 2023 to better reflect its mission – to champion free TV for all.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands – U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY, Gold, Alibi and Eden - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to UK viewers through free streaming service U, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview, Freesat and Freely, as announced today; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV’s content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Pluto TV and Virgin Media.
UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers. The broadcaster is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.