Freely’s Big Expansion: 16 New Streaming Channels Coming

Freely, the UK’s fledgling streaming-focused TV platform, is growing once again with a significant expansion that’s about to bring 16 new channels to viewers – without the need for an aerial or satellite dish.

These new additions, which come courtesy of ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, will boost Freely’s streaming channel count to more than 55 – creating what’s quickly becoming a proper alternative to Freeview for those with compatible TVs.

But that’s not all – Hisense and Toshiba TV owners will also get access to a whopping 80+ additional FAST channels from the VIDAA platform, bringing the total channel count well into the hundreds for some viewers.

What Exactly Is Freely, Again?

For those who haven’t been following along, Freely launched in April 2024 as the broadband-based successor to Freeview and Freesat.

Developed by Everyone TV (the same folks behind Freeview and Freesat), it’s designed as a solution for the streaming era – bringing together live channels and on-demand content from the UK’s major broadcasters in one unified interface.

Unlike traditional Freeview, Freely doesn’t require an aerial or satellite dish – everything streams over your broadband connection.

It features a unified Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) that blends live channels with on-demand content, making it easy to find what you want to watch without jumping between apps.

Since its somewhat modest launch last year, Freely has been steadily expanding its lineup. In January 2025, it added eight more channels including TRUE CRIME, LEGEND, PBS America, and GB News, bringing its total to over 40 streaming channels.

The platform also introduced a “My List” feature that lets you save up to 50 of your favourite shows in one place – quite handy for keeping track of what you’re watching across different services.

What Are FAST Channels?

If you’re scratching your head wondering what on earth a “FAST” channel is – you’re not alone. FAST stands for “Free Ad-supported Streaming Television” – essentially, these are streaming channels that look and behave like traditional TV channels, complete with scheduled programming and, yes, advert breaks.

Unlike on-demand platforms where you choose exactly what to watch, FAST channels operate linearly – content plays continuously, and you tune in to whatever’s currently showing, just like traditional telly.

They’ve been growing in popularity worldwide, particularly in the US, where services like Pluto TV and The Roku Channel have been booming. And now, it seems the UK is playing catch-up.

For streaming natives who’ve grown accustomed to watching whatever they want, whenever they want, FAST channels might seem a bit redundant.

But there’s something to be said for the simple pleasure of channel-flipping and discovering content without having to make yet another decision.

It seems many viewers still prefer the lean-back experience of traditional TV – letting the channel decide what to show next, rather than spending 20 minutes browsing through endless content libraries trying to decide what to watch.

FAST channels, which are often dedicated to one theme (or even one show), offer exactly that experience, just delivered via your broadband connection instead of an aerial.

The New Channels Coming To Freely

So what exactly are these new channels that Freely’s adding? Well, it’s a broad lineup focused on specific content genres.

From ITV, we’re getting two channels that are also available on ITVX:

• The Chase – dedicated to everyone’s favourite quiz show
• Saturday Night Every Night – showcasing ITV’s entertainment programming

Channel 4 is launching three exclusive new channels (that won’t be available elsewhere at launch):

• 4Reality – featuring shows like Married at First Sight
• 4Homes – dedicated to property shows like Grand Designs
• 4Life – showcasing travel, food and animal programmes

And the biggest expansion comes from Channel 5, with 11 new channels:

• 5 GPs Behind Closed Doors
• 5 Bargain Loving Brits
• 5 The Yorkshire Vet
• 5 History
• 5 Crime
• Milkshake! (children’s programming)
• 5 Police Interceptors
• 5 Cops
• 5 Trucking Hell
• 5 A&E
• 5 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly

Five of these Channel 5 offerings will be exclusive to Freely and Channel 5’s own streaming service – specifically 5 GPs Behind Closed Doors, 5 The Yorkshire Vet, 5 History, 5 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, and Milkshake!.

At this point, there’s no exact date for the launch of these new channels – with Freely promising them “later this year”.

VIDAA FAST Channels – But Only For Some

In addition to these broadcaster-backed channels, Freely is also integrating the VIDAA platform’s FAST channels into the guide – but only for Hisense and Toshiba TV owners.

VIDAA is a smart TV operating system found mainly on Hisense and Toshiba televisions. Competing with platforms like Android TV and Samsung’s Tizen, it offers a streamlined interface with its own app store, voice control features, and a collection of free ad-supported streaming TV channels.

These VIDAA FAST channels span various genres, including news, entertainment, and documentaries, all available without requiring any subscription.

The 80+ channels coming to Freely will start from channel number 1001 in the guide, and include content from providers like Sony ONE, CNN, Sky, and Banijay.

They will be launching on Freely in the coming month.

It’s a significant expansion, though one that highlights the somewhat fragmented nature of Freely’s rollout – with different TV brands getting different features and channel lineups.

The Catch: Limited Availability & Missing Channels

There’s still one significant hurdle for many potential viewers – Freely is only available on certain newer TV models. You’ll need a 2024 or 2025 TV from brands like Hisense, Bush, Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp, TCL, Metz, or certain Amazon Fire TV models.

If you’ve got an older telly or were hoping to access Freely via a streaming stick or set-top box, you’re currently out of luck.

This continues to be the platform’s biggest limitation, especially compared to alternatives like the newly expanded Fire TV Live tab, which works across all of Amazon’s devices.

Also, despite this upcoming expansion, Freely still doesn’t offer the complete lineup that traditional Freeview viewers might expect.

Smaller but beloved channels like That’s TV, Rewind TV, the NOW music channels and others, are still missing from the streaming-only lineup.

For complete access to all free-to-air channels, many viewers will still need to keep that aerial connection handy – at least for the foreseeable future.

But with Freely now offering over 55 main channels and potentially hundreds of additional FAST channels (depending on your TV brand), plus access to 70,000+ hours of on-demand content, it’s certainly becoming a more compelling option for cord-cutters.

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