The free UK streaming platforms (2026 at a glance)
BBC iPlayer (free with a UK TV Licence)
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Premium UK drama, comedy, factual, sport, kids; deep back catalogue; UHD on many flagships. You must hold a UK TV Licence to watch iPlayer (live or on-demand).
Channel 4 streaming (ad-supported; formerly All 4)
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Big slate of acclaimed comedies and dramas from Channel 4/E4/More4/Film4; free with registration; optional ad-free tier. All 4 rebranded as Channel 4 in 2023; you’ll still see older guides say “All 4.”
ITVX (free tier + Premium option)
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ITV’s fully refreshed platform launched Dec 2022; free tier includes on-demand shows, FAST channels, and live ITV streams; Premium removes ads and bundles BritBox content.
5 (the unified Channel 5 + My5 brand)
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In March 2025, Channel 5 unified its linear and streaming under 5; free app features more box sets and themed channels.
U (formerly UKTV Play)
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Rebranded in 2024; streams free box sets from UKTV’s family (Dave/Drama/Yesterday/W). Expanded device support in 2025 (e.g., Sky Q).
Planning your watchlist: these free services collectively cover thousands of hours—enough UK shows you can stream for free to keep you busy all year.
What to watch: 20+ standout free UK series
Below are examples of UK shows you can stream for free (availability rotates; check the app for current rights). We reference a widely cited round-up of free-to-watch UK series to give you a head start.
On BBC iPlayer
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Peaky Blinders — Gritty period gangster saga starring Cillian Murphy.
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Happy Valley — Multi-BAFTA-winning crime drama anchored by Sarah Lancashire.
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Doctor Who (+ spin-offs like Torchwood) — The UK’s time-travel icon.
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The Responder — Compelling Liverpool-set police drama.
On Channel 4 (Channel 4 streaming)
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Taskmaster — Cult comedy-challenge phenomenon.
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The Great British Bake Off — Comfort-TV juggernaut.
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Derry Girls — 1990s Northern Ireland coming-of-age hit.
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Peep Show, Black Books, The Inbetweeners — Canonical C4 comedies.
On ITVX (free tier)
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The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) — Reality mainstay with a vast library.
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A Very British Scandal (rights rotate) — Prestige period drama; see iPlayer/C4/ITVX rotations.
On 5 (Channel 5 streaming)
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UK-made drama and docs; the 2025 rebrand promises more themed channels and box sets under one “5” app. (Browse the 5 help centre for current catalogue.)
On U (UKTV)
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Comedy and factual comfort food from Dave/Drama/Yesterday/W—perfect for casual binging; app/device coverage has grown through 2024–2025.
The round-up lists many of these as UK shows you can stream for free, especially via BBC iPlayer and Channel 4; use it as a discovery jump-off, then check the 2025-era app names noted above.
Mini-comparison: the big free UK apps (2026)
| Service | Cost | Notable strengths | Need TV Lincence |
| BBC iPlayer | Free (ads-free), registration | Flagship BBC dramas/comedy, UHD, deep archive | Yes (live + on-demand) |
| Channel 4 (streaming) | Free with ads; paid ad-free | Bold comedy/drama; Film4 library | No for on-demand; registration required (free) |
| ITVX | Free with ads; Premium for ad-free + extras | FAST channels; big reality/entertainment slate | No (on-demand) |
| 5 | Free with ads | One app for Channel 5 brands; more box sets in 2025 | No (on-demand) |
| U | Free with ads | Comfort comedies/factual from UKTV; wider device reach | No (on-demand) |
Tip: If you mainly care about UK shows you can stream for free, start with Channel 4 + ITVX + 5 + U; add BBC iPlayer if you hold a TV Licence.
Set-up tips for smooth, private streaming
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Create accounts on a desktop first. It’s easier to fill in details and manage marketing permissions, then sign in on your TV box.
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Prioritize your streaming device on the router. Many routers offer QoS or priority rules—handy on match nights or premieres.
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Keep apps and TV firmware updated weekly. Free services iterate fast; updates often fix crashes/buffering.
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Back up with a secondary device. Install all four major apps on your phone/tablet to fail over if your TV app misbehaves.
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Understand licensing basics. You need a UK TV Licence for iPlayer (even on-demand), but not for ad-supported on-demand on Channel 4/ITVX/5/U.
Turn VPN on When Watching Movies in UK
UFO VPN - The best free VPN helps:
A VPN won’t grant rights you don’t have, but it does protect your connection path—useful if you often stream UK shows you can stream for free while traveling or on public Wi-Fi:
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Encrypts your traffic on shared networks. Hotel/café/airport Wi-Fi can’t snoop on your viewing sessions.
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Reduces superficial profiling. Sites/trackers see the VPN exit IP, not your local hotspot’s address.
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Stabilizes routing. If your ISP or a venue’s network has flaky peering,A free proxy VPN in UFO VPN Smart Connect can pick a cleaner route for smoother playback.
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Split Tunneling & Kill Switch. Route just your TV/phone app via VPN while other devices stay local; block traffic if the tunnel drops.
🩵4 Steps to Turn UFO VPN on：
UFO VPN is compatible with mobile and desktop devices. Download UFO VPN for iOS, UFO VPN for Android on mobiles or UFO VPN for PC, UFO VPN for Mac on your desktop. Install the app and sign up or log in.
Open the app, choose a server location with a Netflix VPN server or Fast VPN connections include a free US server, free UK server and free Australia server. Tap the button to connect.
After connecting, visit an IP lookup tool to see your current location and ensure your IP changes after using the VPN.
Once connected, visit your favorite shows and movies and start watching without geo-blocks or buffering!
Always follow each platform’s terms and local laws. Think of UFO VPN as a privacy and reliability layer whenever you watch or manage your accounts on untrusted networks.
Common pitfalls and easy fixes
“Why did the app name change?”
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You’ll still see older guides say All 4 or ITV Hub. These are now Channel 4 (streaming) and ITVX respectively. Channel 5/My5 is now 5; UKTV Play is U.
“Do I really need a TV Licence for iPlayer?”
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Yes—for any BBC content on iPlayer (live or on-demand). Fines apply for evasion.
“A show moved apps since last week.”
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Catalogues rotate. If Peaky Blinders or Taskmaster isn’t where you expect, search across apps; rotation between iPlayer/Channel 4/ITVX is common. The 30-show round-up is a good discovery starting point, but always reconfirm 2025 availability in-app.
“Where do I find free live channels?”
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ITVX and Channel 4 feature live streams and FAST channels; 5 and U also surface themed/live rails. Check each app’s “Live” or “Channels” tab. +1
“What’s ‘Freely’ I keep hearing about?”
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Freely is a joint free-to-view platform backed by BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5; availability on major TV platforms (including Amazon Fire TVs) has expanded—worth keeping an eye on if you like unified discovery.
Sample playlists to start tonight
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Comedies (Channel 4 / U): Taskmaster, Peep Show, Black Books, Stath Lets Flats, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace.
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Crime (iPlayer / ITVX): Happy Valley, The Responder, A Very British Scandal, The Fall.
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Comfort reality/unscripted (Channel 4 / ITVX / 5): Gogglebox, Bake Off, TOWIE; 5’s rebrand promises more themed channels for easy browsing.
These sets keep your queue filled with UK shows you can stream for free across a balance of laughs, drama, and comfort TV.
FAQs
Which apps should I install first for UK shows you can stream for free?
Start with Channel 4, ITVX, 5, and U for the widest free selection. Add BBC iPlayer if you hold a UK TV Licence.
Why does every guide still say “All 4” and “ITV Hub”?
Because those were the old names. They’re now Channel 4 (streaming) and ITVX (Dec 2022 launch).
Is BBC iPlayer really free?
iPlayer doesn’t charge a subscription, but UK law requires a TV Licence to watch live TV or any BBC programme on iPlayer—on any device.
Has Channel 5 changed its streaming name?
Yes. In March 2025, Channel 5 and My5 unified as 5, with a refreshed app and more box sets/channels.
What’s U (and where did UKTV Play go)?
UKTV Play rebranded to U in 2024; in 2025 it expanded onto more platforms (e.g., Sky Q).
