What can you get with Freeview?

Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and NOW mean that you can watch many TV shows and movies, old and new, whenever you want.

But if you don’t feel like cutting the cord completely and still want to watch some live broadcasts and terrestrial TV channels, you always have the option of Freeview TV.

As the name suggests, Freeview is free, but you will need an aerial and a TV licence to access it.

What channels are on Freeview?

Freeview lets you watch 100 entertainment channels (including +1 hour channels) and 20 HD channels, as well as 10 children's channels (including HD channels), six news channels (including Sky News) and seven streamed channels.

Take a look at what's on Freeview at no monthly cost or contract:

Channels recently removed from Freeview

In June 2022, Freeview removed a number of channels from its TV guide. The following channels you can no longer get on Freeview are:

• FreeSports

• CBS Justice

• More4+1

• PBS America +1

• Forces TV

• BBC News HD

• QVC HD

• QVC Beauty HD

• Quest HD

Series available on Freeview

Although you won’t have access to the latest blockbuster HBO shows with Freeview, you can still watch a mix of popular and top-notch TV.

This includes everything from nightly soap operas, reality contests like the Great British Bake Off and The Masked Singer, classics like Midsomer Murders and Call the Midwife and fantastic UK dramas like Sherlock and Broadchurch.

Adding TV channels to Freeview

A lot of TV providers offer basic Freeview-only packages, which you can then supplement with monthly add-ons for premium sports and movie channels on rolling monthly contracts so you can sign up for short-term features. This includes BT TV and TalkTalk TV.

Another option for downgrading your TV subscription, while still accessing some live TV, is to sign up for a NOW Entertainment membership — which is the only way to watch Sky Atlantic (and, therefore, Game of Thrones) without a Sky subscription.

For less than £10 a month, you can watch 15 pay-TV channels, including many Sky channels on Freeview:

• Sky Atlantic

• Sky Max

• Sky Witness

• Sky Nature

• Sky Comedy

• Sky History

• Sky Crime

• Sky Documentaries

• Sky Showcase

• Peacock

• MTV

• Comedy Central

• GOLD

• National Geographic

• SYFY

These TV channels can either be streamed live, or you can watch programmes from their catch-up and on-demand libraries.

Do I need a Freeview box?

Freeview has been built into almost all new TVs since around 2010. So if you've bought a TV in the last twelve years, you likely won't need a Freeview box in order to watch it.

However, if you'd like the opportunity to record, rewind and pause what you watch on Freeview, you will need to buy a Freeview set-top box. Prices for those start at around £129, and you can get them on the Freeview website.