Samsung TV Plus has added three new creator-led channels for viewers in the UK, bringing Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place, Golf Life and JOE Media to its free, ad-supported streaming service.
The new channels went live on 24 September 2026 as part of a wider expansion of Samsung TV Plus creator programming across several international markets. For UK viewers, the move adds more lifestyle, sport, comedy, news and entertainment to a service that is already built into compatible Samsung TVs.
What are the three new Samsung TV Plus UK channels?
Samsung says the three UK additions have launched in partnership with 208 Studios:
- Happy Place — a channel built around interviews from Fearne Cotton’s long-running Happy Place podcast and wider wellbeing content.
- Golf Life — golf, comedy and entertainment from Tubes, Ange and Jimmy Bullard.
- JOE Media — news and entertainment programming from the UK media brand.
According to Samsung’s announcement, Happy Place draws on Fearne Cotton’s interview format, while Golf Life brings the established golf and comedy brand to a dedicated FAST channel. JOE Media adds another general entertainment and current-affairs option aimed at a younger audience.
Samsung is leaning further into free streaming
Samsung TV Plus is a FAST service — free ad-supported streaming television — so viewers do not pay a monthly subscription to watch its channels. Instead, advertising supports the service in much the same way as traditional commercial television.
That model has become an increasingly important part of the smart-TV experience. Rather than using a television simply as a screen for Netflix, Prime Video or an external streaming box, manufacturers are building their own free content platforms directly into the TV interface.
Samsung’s current UK information says TV Plus is available on Samsung Smart TVs from 2016 onwards, while compatible Galaxy phones and tablets can also access the service. An internet connection is required, but Samsung says there is no additional TV Plus subscription or credit-card charge. You can check the latest compatibility and access information on the Samsung TV Plus UK page.
Why creator-led channels make sense for FAST TV
The interesting part of this expansion is not simply that Samsung has added another three channels. It is the type of content being added.
Happy Place and Golf Life already have established audiences outside traditional television, while JOE Media has grown primarily through digital and social platforms. Turning those brands into continuous streaming channels gives Samsung recognisable programming without relying entirely on conventional broadcasters.
It also gives viewers something different from the usual subscription-library approach. FAST channels are designed more like traditional television: choose a channel, see what is already playing and watch without first searching through a large on-demand catalogue.
That distinction matters as smart-TV platforms compete to keep viewers inside their own interfaces. We have previously looked at how built-in smart TV apps compare with a dedicated Apple TV 4K, and services such as Samsung TV Plus are one of the strongest arguments for using the software already built into a modern TV.
Do you need another streaming subscription?
No. That is the main appeal here.
Paid streaming has become increasingly fragmented, with households often juggling several monthly subscriptions at once. Free services will not replace every premium platform, but they can fill some of the gaps with live channels, background viewing and programming that does not add another recurring bill.
If you are trying to decide which paid services are still worth keeping alongside free options, our streaming services comparison looks at the wider subscription landscape.
Tech Torque Verdict
Samsung TV Plus adding Happy Place, Golf Life and JOE Media is not a dramatic overhaul of the service, but it is a useful expansion for UK Samsung TV owners.
The broader trend is more significant. Smart-TV manufacturers increasingly want their own platforms to be a destination rather than simply a launcher for third-party apps, and free ad-supported channels are becoming a bigger part of that strategy.
For viewers, the upside is straightforward: three more channels, no extra subscription and more choice already sitting inside the television they own.
