Classic Top Gear specials, EastEnders storylines and more British TV favourites are getting dedicated free streaming channels, with a rollout planned before the end of 2026.
There is a certain appeal to turning on the television and finding an old Top Gear special already playing. No searching through seasons or deciding which episode to watch next. UKTV is banking on that simplicity with eight free streaming channels dedicated to some of Britain’s best-known programmes.
The broadcaster announced the channels on 21 October 2026. They are due to begin rolling out on LG Channels and Freely before the end of the year, expanding UKTV’s FAST line-up from four channels to 12. We have the names and programme highlights, but not exact launch dates or channel numbers.
Eight new channels, from EastEnders to Top Gear
Each channel is built around a single programme, drawing on BBC archive material rather than newly made episodes. UKTV has confirmed these eight:
- Antiques Roadshow on U: Classic valuations, including a special featuring Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
- Bargain Hunt on U: Back-to-back editions of the antiques competition, including Tim Wonnacott’s final series.
- Casualty on U: Stories with Charlie Fairhead, Tess Bateman and Zoe Hanna, plus Brenda Fricker’s return as Megan Roach, the ‘Pigeon Lady’.
- DIY SOS on U: Home transformations from Nick Knowles and the team, including an appearance by Prince William.
- EastEnders on U: Mid-2000s Albert Square, from the arrival of the Brannings to the Bradley, Stacey and Max ‘Stax’ storyline.
- Gardeners’ World on U: Archive episodes, gardening advice and Monty Don’s arrival on the programme.
- Holby City on U: Stories from Darwin and Keller wards, with Ric Griffin, Chrissie Williams and Elliot Hope.
- Top Gear on U: More than 20 years of motoring television, including the Patagonia and Polar specials and guests such as Lewis Hamilton.
This is a line-up made for viewers who have favourite programmes rather than favourite apps. UKTV promises curated access to hundreds of episodes. That is not a promise of complete box sets, and schedules for the individual channels have not been published.
What is FAST television?
FAST stands for Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television. It works like an ordinary TV channel: choose it from the guide and watch whatever is playing. The picture arrives over broadband rather than an aerial, and adverts pay for the service instead of a separate monthly subscription.
You might join a Top Gear special halfway through or find several episodes of Bargain Hunt running one after another. That is rather pleasant when you simply want something familiar on the screen. If you are looking for one particular episode, an on-demand service is still a better bet.
Freely’s guide to FAST channels explains how its streamed stations appear in the TV guide without needing an aerial. Broadband and compatible equipment are essential. And although there is no channel subscription, watching live television in the UK requires a TV Licence, including live channels streamed over the internet.
LG Channels and Freely are different services
UKTV has chosen two platforms for the launch, but the distinction matters if you own an LG television. LG Channels is LG’s free streaming service, available on supported smart TVs and some other webOS devices. It opens from the television’s home screen or a remote shortcut where provided. LG says the available channels vary by country and device; an LG Account may also be needed for its network-based services.
Freely is separate. It brings internet-delivered live channels and catch-up television together on Freely-enabled televisions and compatible streaming devices. Freely says it is not currently built into LG televisions. To use Freely on an LG set, you need a supported external device connected by HDMI.
An LG television showing UKTV’s channels through LG Channels does not therefore have Freely built in. Likewise, a Freely television need not be made by LG. UKTV has not released a list of LG models guaranteed to receive these new feeds.
When will the channels arrive?
The rollout will begin before the end of 2026. UKTV has not named a launch day for each channel, said whether they will arrive together or provided guide numbers. Existing LG Channels and Freely users can check their channel guides as the rollout gets under way.
The announcement applies to the UK. UKTV says its FAST channels are not currently available in Ireland. Discussions with other platforms are continuing, but none has been confirmed for these eight channels.
Four existing UKTV channels will join them
UKTV already operates four themed FAST services: U&Laughs, U&Transport, U&Real Heroes and U&The Past. They will also come to LG Channels and Freely.
That brings UKTV’s FAST portfolio to 12 channels in total: eight new services, plus the four existing ones. It does not mean that all 12 are being added to Freeview or to the U on-demand app. UKTV’s pay-TV channels U&GOLD and U&alibi also remain separate from this free-streaming expansion.
Why put familiar programmes back in a TV guide?
On-demand libraries are excellent when you know what you want. They are less useful when you just fancy something familiar while making dinner or sitting down for half an hour. A dedicated Casualty or Gardeners’ World feed gives those archive programmes a place in the guide again, without sending viewers through menus.
There is a commercial reason as well. UKTV chief commercial officer Jonathan Newman says the expansion is intended to reach more viewers and build advertising revenue. Chief digital officer Andrea Amey sees dedicated channels as a way to help people rediscover familiar series. Those are the company’s aims; actual viewing figures will tell us how successful the launch becomes.
The competition for free-TV viewers is growing. Samsung TV Plus recently added three UK channels, while a Roku survey looked at the appeal of advert-supported streaming. UKTV’s approach puts recognisable programmes front and centre rather than asking viewers to take a chance on an unfamiliar channel name.
Tech Torque Verdict
There is room for the old-fashioned pleasure of channel-hopping alongside today’s on-demand apps. Classic Top Gear, EastEnders and the other archive favourites are an appealing addition, even if adverts and fixed schedules will not suit everyone.
What we need now is a proper launch timetable and clarity on supported devices. Until those details arrive, keep your current setup and see what appears. Eight more places to find familiar television sound welcome, but they are not yet a reason to buy another box.
