Freely unveils new channel partners
October 14, 2025
By Colin Mann
Everyone TV has revealed a new wave of content partnerships for Freely, the free streaming platform backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5, bringing together live and on-demand TV all in one place.
The announcement was made at an event hosted during MIPCOM in Cannes, where Freely confirmed it is working with Hearst Networks, Bloomberg TV+ and others to bring 10 additional streaming channels to the platform in 2026.
New channels include Blaze, Bloomberg TV+, Talking Pictures TV, Gemporia and Local TV. Existing Freely partner AMC Networks International UK (AMCNI UK), will launch 5 of the new channels, three through its joint venture with Paramount: True Crime UK, Evidence of Evil and Bloodline Detectives – plus two further channel brands: Love After Lock Up and AMC Reality. These new arrivals build on AMCNI UK’s existing portfolio on Freely, which features Legend, True Crime and Watch Free UK.
This follows the recent launch of new streaming channels from Channel 4 – 4Reality, 4Homes and 4Life – which are now available exclusively on Freely. Additional streaming channels from ITV and 5 are expected to follow, as the platform continues to expand its offering.
The new additions mean Freely will carry over 70 live channels over Wi-Fi, alongside what it says is more on-demand content than any major streaming service in the UK. As audiences increasingly choose to stream live TV, Freely says it is fast becoming a major destination for streaming live and on-demand TV, all in one place, for free. With accelerating growth and further expansion planned for 2026, Freely has been independently forecast to be the largest TV device platform in the UK within the next five years.
To coincide with the new partner announcement, Everyone TV also released findings from research conducted by Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates. The nationally representative study found that live free-to-air channels – such as U&Dave, Legend and Blaze – score highest among audiences for making people feel ‘relaxed’ (32 per cent) and ‘entertained’ (53 per cent), and lowest for making people feel anxious (just 2 per cent), when compared with other channels and global streaming and video services. The data underscores the continued importance of ‘lean-back’ TV experiences, with British viewers valuing the breadth, familiarity and comfort offered by free-to-air channels beyond the major broadcasters.
Freely, which surpassed 500,000 weekly users earlier this year, is already available on smart TVs from manufacturers including Hisense, Bush, Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp, TCL, Amazon Fire TVs and METZ. ‘Plug-in and stream’ devices are also on the way.
“This latest round of content partners marks another step forward for Freely as we scale up the platform for viewers and partners alike,” commented Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV. “The research we’re releasing today shows just how much audiences still value British free-to-air television – not just the flagship channels, but the wider family of channels that continue to surprise and entertain us. Freely brings all of that together in one place, for free, and it’s exciting to see the momentum behind it as we look to the year ahead.”
“There’s huge interest in how broadcasters and partners are adapting to new viewing habits, and it’s vital that free-to-air programming stays relevant in the streaming age,” added Omar Oakes, independent media journalist and event host. “Today’s discussion at MIPCOM underlined how fast the TV industry is changing and how smart collaboration can make it stronger.”
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