How to watch HBO in the UK

What is HBO?

In the early 2000s, when many TV channels were just getting into reality TV and moving away from scripted series, HBO started leading the shift toward higher-quality TV programmes with shows that are still widely regarded as some of the best television of all time.

The Wire, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under routinely crop up in critics’ lists and are still deemed to be ‘must see’ TV decades after their original air dates.

In recent years, HBO has continued to step up its programming with a range of comedy, drama, and fantasy series starring A-list celebrities and backed by award-winning directors, producers, and writers. The channel has historically swept most awards ceremonies and elevated TV across the board, so it’s no wonder that people from all over the world want to view HBO’s programming.

With high-quality programmes like The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, White Lotus, The Sopranos, and The Wire, HBO has long been considered one of the leading television producers in the US. Even though the Game of Thrones finale was not what most of us were hoping for, it remains one of the biggest TV shows of all time.

Here’s how you can watch HBO shows in the UK.

Watch HBO on Sky

Sky and HBO have a deal that gives Sky exclusive rights to broadcast first-run and currently-airing HBO programmes in the UK and other European markets through 2025. Some series are even aired live at the same time as they are in the US, which lets you avoid spoilers.

Historically, most of HBO's premium content airs on Sky Atlantic, with a sizeable amount of its programming coming from HBO. Many of these are well-known and award-winning series that you can't watch anywhere else.

The channel also shows other prestige series from other US networks such as AMC and Showtime. Additionally, Sky Atlantic produces its own original programming in partnership with some US channels, including The New Pope with HBO and Catherine the Great with Showtime.

Unlike other Sky channels, Sky Atlantic is only available to Sky and NOW customers. However, in recent years, more HBO content has become available on other channels like Sky Showcase, Sky Comedy, and Sky Max.

HBO shows on Sky Atlantic

• Game of Thrones

• House of the Dragon

• True Detective

• The Newsroom

• Mare of Easttown

• The Gilded Age

• Band of Brothers

• The Wire

• Julia

• The Last of Us

• Succession

• In Treatment

HBO shows on Sky Showcase

• True Detective

• Sex And The City

• Curb Your Enthusiasm

HBO shows on Sky Comedy

• The Comeback

• Girls

• Sex And The City

• Curb Your Enthusiasm

• Veep

HBO shows on Sky Max

• The Flight Attendant

HBO shows on Sky

There's a wealth of amazing TV shows to watch on HBO on Sky. Here are some of the most popular:

• The Last of Us

• The White Lotus

• Game of Thrones

• House of the Dragon

• Chernobyl

• Euphoria

• The Undoing

• Succession

• Mare of Easttown

• Lovecraft Country

• The Flight Attendant

• Westworld

• Big Little Lies

• Watchmen

• The New Pope

• Veep

• The Young Pope

• The Wire

• The Sopranos

• True Detective

• True Blood

• Sex and the City

• And Just Like That

• Scenes From A Marriage

How can I watch Sky Atlantic?

Because Sky Atlantic offers such in-demand programming, Sky heavily limits its availability.

Unlike Sky Sports and Sky Cinema channels, Sky Atlantic can’t be added to packages with other TV providers. To get Sky Atlantic, you have to be a Sky subscriber, either to Sky itself or its streaming service, NOW.

Subscribing to Sky TV may make sense if you’re interested in Sky programming—including its sports and cinema channels—and want long-term access to Sky Atlantic.

On the other hand, if you’re only after one or two HBO shows or aren’t interested in a TV subscription, NOW is a great option to get quick access to Sky Atlantic.

NOW is a streaming service that offers monthly passes on a contract-free, pay-as-you-go basis. So if you’re a fan of Westworld, for example, and are only interested in that programme, you can get an Entertainment membership for the premiere date, then unsubscribe once the series is over — and reactivate in time for the new series.

The NOW Entertainment membership gives you access to 14 channels, including several from Sky:

• Sky Atlantic

• Sky Max

• Sky Witness

• GOLD

• Sky Comedy

• Comedy Central

• Sky Documentaries

• MTV

• SYFY

• Sky Crime

• Sky Nature

• Sky History

• Sky Arts

• National Geographic

Once you sign up for the NOW TV membership, download the app to almost any device — most models of tablets, smartphones, games consoles, set-top boxes and smart TVs are supported — or access the site from a web browser on your laptop and start streaming.

You should be able to access on-demand content or live TV channels, although the latter isn’t supported on YouView boxes.

Want to watch on the big screen? Find out how to watch NOW on your TV.

Get Sky Atlantic on NOW

Can I get HBO Max in the UK?

With almost every network launching its own streaming service, it comes as no surprise that HBO has its own exclusive platform, HBO Max. However, due to the lucrative deal already in place with Sky, HBO Max is officially off the table for UK subscribers.

However, you can still access HBO Max’s original content, as well as lots more HBO programming, on Sky Atlantic.

HBO Max shows on Sky

Many of the HBO Max original shows are broadcast on Sky Atlantic at the same time that they air in the US. In fact, some of HBO Max's recent content was produced in the UK and now features on HBO Max in the US, such as I Hate Suzy and It's a Sin. Here are some of the popular HBO Max shows you can watch on Sky:

• Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts

• Peacemaker

• And Just Like That

• Friends: The Reunion

• Raised by Wolves

• The Flight Attendant

• The Outsider

• I Hate Suzy

• Expecting Amy

Are DC movies and TV shows on Sky Atlantic?

The nerds reading this will know that DC Comics – home of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman – is owned by HBO parent company Warner Bros. As such, HBO Max is the best place to stream shows like Doom Patrol and Harley Quinn. Unfortunately, that arrangement doesn't translate to those shows and movies appearing on Sky Atlantic.

How much does HBO Max cost?

At launch, HBO Max had the highest monthly price of any streaming service in the US. And at $15 a month (roughly £12) but has begun creeping up to charge slightly higher prices for ad-free viewing.