Freely is continuing its rapid expansion with another channel announcement – Warner Bros. Discovery’s entire free-to-air portfolio is coming to the platform, alongside CNN’s streaming news channel.
The additions mean Freely will offer over 70 live channels by early 2026, reinforcing Everyone TV’s strategy to position the streaming platform as the future of UK television, and – eventually – a streaming replacement for Freeview and Freesat
CNN Headlines is already live on Freely Channel 305, whilst channels like Quest, TLC, and Really will all join the platform from early 2026 (See the full list below).
For viewers, this is another step towards having all (or at least most) of their favourite free-to-air channels available through broadband rather than an aerial.
What Is Freely Again?
Launched in April 2024, Freely delivers live channels and on-demand content through your broadband connection – no aerial or satellite dish required. It is operated by Everyone TV – the same body behind Freeview and Freesat.
You get a unified programme guide mixing live TV with catch-up services, so you’re not constantly jumping between iPlayer, ITVX, and everything else. The BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and 5 all back it.
Right now, it offers 55+ live channels plus thousands of hours of on-demand content. The catch? Until recently, you needed a compatible smart TV from brands like Hisense, Bush, Toshiba, Panasonic, or Amazon Fire TV.
That changed last month when the Pleio – the first standalone Freely streaming box – launched for £99.
The Netgem-made device brings Freely to any TV with an HDMI port, and it sold out within hours of launching, demonstrating significant pent-up demand for aerial-free television (see my full Pleio review here.)
CNN Headlines: Live News On Freely
CNN Headlines is the first addition that’s actually available right now – it went live on Freely Channel 305 this week.
The free, ad-supported streaming channel delivers curated news coverage across politics, international affairs, business, entertainment, and sport.
Think of it as CNN’s answer to BBC News, but optimised for streaming audiences rather than traditional broadcasting.
It’s also available on CNN.com, the CNN app, and various streaming services, including Amazon’s Prime Video and Pluto TV. Freely becomes another major distribution point for the channel.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s Big Move
The Warner Bros. Discovery announcement is more substantial – six entire channels arriving on Freely from early 2026.
These aren’t niche channels struggling for distribution. They’re established free-to-air services with significant audiences, all of which have been fixtures on Freeview and Freesat for years.
Quest
Quest launched on Freeview back in September 2009, becoming Discovery’s first free-to-air channel in the UK. It currently sits on Freeview Channel 12.
The channel built its reputation on factual entertainment – programmes like Salvage Hunters, Wheeler Dealers, and Richard Hammond’s Workshop. It covers everything from antiques and restoration to motoring and engineering.
Recent programming includes the long-running Yorkshire Auction House with Angus Ashworth, plus new additions like Francis Bourgeois & Chris Harris: We Saved a Train – an 8-episode series following the pair as they restore a dilapidated diesel locomotive.
Quest Red
Quest Red launched in March 2017 as Quest’s female-focused sibling, currently broadcasting on Freeview Channel 40. The channel focuses on “irresistibly real TV” – a mix of real-life stories, true crime, and lifestyle programming.
Shows include Katie Price: My Crazy Life, My 600lb Life, Murder Comes To Town, and Money for Nothing. It’s crime and reality content aimed at a different demographic than Quest’s engineering and restoration programming.
Food Network
Food Network UK arrived on Sky as a free-to-air channel in late 2009, eventually expanding to Freeview (currently Channel 43) and Freesat.
Warner Bros. Discovery took full control in 2019 when they acquired Good Food from UKTV and merged its content into Food Network.
The channel delivers exactly what you’d expect – cooking shows, culinary competitions, and food-focused programming from both sides of the Atlantic. Shows include Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Pioneer Woman, and various competition formats like Chopped.
DMAX
DMAX launched as a UK pay-TV channel in 2008, but moved to free-to-air in January 2019, replacing Travel Channel on Freeview (currently Channel 42) and Freesat.
The channel skews heavily male with its “extreme survival, turbo, and adventure” programming. Think Naked and Afraid, Alaskan Bush People, Alaska: The Last Frontier, and Fast N’ Loud.
It’s programming about living off-grid, customising cars, and generally taking things to extremes.
Really
Really launched in May 2009 as part of UKTV’s major network rebrand, originally focusing on female-oriented fashion, medical, and real-life programming.
Warner Bros. Discovery acquired full ownership from BBC Studios in 2019 as part of a deal that also included Good Food and Home.
Currently on Freeview Channel 17, Really offers a diverse mix – lifestyle shows like Homes Under The Hammer and DIY SOS, medical programming including Embarrassing Bodies and One Born Every Minute, plus paranormal content like Most Haunted.
From January 2026, Really will also absorb content from the soon-to-be-closed HGTV channel, including shows like Celebrity IOU, Home Town, and My Lottery Dream Home.
This consolidates Warner Bros. Discovery’s home and property programming onto a single free-to-air channel.
TLC: The Big Rebrand
TLC is the most significant addition because it’s currently a pay-TV channel on Sky, Virgin Media, and BT/EE. From January 2026, it’s becoming free-to-air for the first time, landing on both Freeview and Freesat alongside Freely.
But it’s not just about making the channel free – Warner Bros. Discovery is throwing money at new content, particularly scripted entertainment.
The new-look TLC will feature multi-award-winning sitcoms including The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, the new spin-off Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, and Mike & Molly.
On the unscripted front, TLC is bringing back Mock the Week – and this is arguably the biggest news of the lot. The much-loved topical, satirical panel show ended its 21-year run on BBC Two in 2022, but it’s getting a new lease of life on TLC with what’s being described as a “new-look” version.
Mock of the week
TLC will also premiere Zero Stars, a new travel series fronted by comedians and best friends Roisin Conaty and Sara Pascoe. Based on an original Danish format, the show sees the duo journeying across the globe, experiencing places with only the funniest and worst reviews in search of truly unique travel experiences.
Fans of TLC’s existing programming needn’t worry – favourites like Dr Pimple Popper, My 600-lb Life, and the entire 90 Day Fiancé franchise (including the UK spin-off) will remain on the channel.
The Other Recent Additions
The Warner Bros. Discovery and CNN Headlines announcements follow several other recent Freely expansions that are worth noting.
Talking Pictures TV
Talking Pictures TV was supposed to arrive in 2026 when Freely announced it back in October. Instead, it quietly launched in November on Freely Channel 36, beating the schedule by months.
The beloved vintage British film and TV channel – famous for black and white classics that mainstream channels abandoned decades ago – now streams live through Freely, solving reception problems for viewers who’ve been battling dodgy aerials for years.
The channel pulls around 4 million viewers per month despite operating from a shed in Hertfordshire, proving there’s still massive appetite for classic British content.
BLAZE Launches Next Week
BLAZE from Hearst Networks is launching on Freely next week, earlier than initially expected. Currently on Freeview Channel 64, BLAZE is the channel for people who like Ancient Aliens, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, and The Curse of Oak Island.
It’s mysteries, UFOs, treasure hunting, and paranormal programming – the kind of content that’s either your cup of tea or absolutely not.
Still Waiting On Others
Back in October, Freely announced 10 new channels coming to the platform, including five additional AMC channels (Evidence of Evil, Bloodline Detectives, Love After Lock Up, True Crime UK, and AMC Reality), Bloomberg TV+, shopping channel Gemporia, and 11 Local TV variations depending on your location.
Those remain scheduled for 2026, though specific launch dates haven’t been announced.
Channel 4 also delivered three streaming-only channels (4Reality, 4Homes, and 4Life) in early October.
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