The popularity of streaming services has made more and more people cut the cord on large TV packages and instead opt for a combination of streaming subscriptions and Freeview TV.
Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and NOW TV mean that you can watch TV shows and movies whenever you want, but if you don’t feel like cutting the cord completely and want to still have access to some live TV and terrestrial channels, you always have the option of Freeview TV.
Like 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 TV channels (including +1 channels) and 15 HD channels, as well as eight children's channels (plus HD channels), five news channels and seven streamed channels. All at no monthly cost or contract.
- BBC ONE
- BBC TWO
- ITV
- Channel 4/S4C
- Channel 5
- ITV 2
- BBC ALBA
- Local TV
- BBC FOUR
- ITV3
- Pick
- QUEST
- E4
- Film4
- Channel 4+1
- QVC
- Really
- More 4
- Dave
- Drama
- 5 USA
- Ideal World
- CCXTV
- ITV4
- Yesterday
- ITVBe
- ITV2 +1
- E4+1
- 4Music
- 5STAR
- Paramount Network
- Sony Movies
- ITV +1
- ITV3+1
- QVC Beauty
- QVC Style
- DMAX
- Quest Red
- CBS Justice
- Sony Movies Action
- Food Network
- HGTV
- Gems TV
- Channel 5+1
- Film4+1
- Challenge
- 4seven
- Sony Channel
- TJC
- Sony Movies Classic
- TG4
- RTÉ One
- RTÉ Two
- 5SELECT
- 5STAR+1
- 5USA+1
- Smithsonian Channel
- ITVBe+1
- ITV4+1
- Sony Movies +1
- Sony Channel +1
- Sony Movies Classic +1
- Blaze
- FreeSports
- TBN UK
- CBS Reality
- CBS Reality +1
- BBC FOUR
- CBS Justice +1
- Horror Channel
- CBS Drama
- Quest Red+1
- Jewellery Maker
- Shopping Quarter
- Yesterday+1
- QUEST+1
- TCC
- NOW 70s
- Dave ja vu
- Blaze+1
- TalkingPictures TV
- Clubland TV
- NOW 80s
- Hochanda
- More4+1
- Spotlight TV
- Together TV
- Together TV+1
- TV Warehouse
- PBS America
- Pick+1
- PBS America +1
- Create & Craft
- Forces TV
- Freeview
Series available on Freeview
Although you won’t have access to the latest HBO shows with Freeview, you can still watch a mix of popular and top notch TV. This includes everything from nightly soap operas to reality contests like the Great British Bake Off and X-Factor; classics like Midsomer Murders and Call the Midwife; and fantastic UK dramas like Sherlock and Broadchurch.
Adding channels to Freeview TV
A lot of TV providers offer basic Freeview-only packages, which you can then supplement with monthly add-ons for premium sport 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 TV Entertainment TV pass — 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 12 pay TV channels:
- Sky 1
- Sky Living
- Sky Atlantic
- Sky Arts
- FOX
- Gold
- ITV Encore
- Comedy Central
- MTV
- Discovery Channel
- Nat Geo Wild
- abc studios
These channels can either be streamed live, or you can watch programmes from their catch-up and on-demand libraries.