Channel 4 to carry UKTV’s U streaming service
October 9, 2025
By Nik Roseveare
Channel 4 and UKTV have announced a multi-year carriage agreement that will offer audiences thousands of hours of free content from UKTV’s U service via Channel 4 streaming. The deal enhances the range of programming on Channel 4 streaming, while expanding further availability for the U service.
From January 2026, Channel 4 streaming audiences will be able to find hundreds of shows from the U service – including hit U&Original titles such as Outrageous, Bergerac, Big Zuu’s Big Eats, Bangers & Cash and Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake, as well as celebrated classics from the BBC and acquisitions such as The Office, Red Dwarf, QI, The Count of Monte Cristo and MasterChef Australia.
The carriage deal will mark the first time Channel 4 streaming has carried a third-party service on its platform. It further accelerates Channel 4’s Fast Forward strategy to become a public service streamer, providing programming that drives streaming growth including drama, documentaries, comedy and reality.
The partnership is designed to boost the reach and scale of both services. It will scale Channel 4 streaming reach by expanding the choice of programming available to viewers, giving them access to a library of classic shows on U alongside a range of originals, and allow UKTV to reach new audiences while still serving its audience on its own platforms.
Jonathan Allan, Interim CEO, Channel 4, commented: “It’s fantastic that we are building on our long and successful commercial partnership with a bold new deal with UKTV to make our Channel 4 streaming proposition even stronger for viewers. Loads of brilliant British content from U will complement our own bold, noisy shows and UKTV will benefit from tapping into our younger streaming audience.”
Marcus Arthur, CEO UKTV, added: “Following record viewing to our U streaming service last year, I’m delighted to be expanding our relationship with Channel 4 through this carriage deal and offering viewers even more opportunities to watch U’s rich mix of content. UKTV has a successful history of building scale through partnerships, and this exciting opportunity demonstrates the power of media companies collaborating to drive sustained growth, with clear benefits for UKTV, Channel 4 and above all viewers.”
Channel 4 streaming saw a 13 per cent year-on-year increase in viewer minutes in 2024 and remains the youngest commercial BVoD player across the first half of 2025. UKTV saw total viewer minutes to its VoD content across its free and pay platforms grow by 40 per cent in 2024, resulting in UKTV having the fastest growing on demand presence in Britain.
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