UKTV has announced eight new FAST channels built around BBC programmes including Top Gear, EastEnders, Casualty and Antiques Roadshow.
The channels will begin rolling out on LG Channels and Freely before the end of the year, expanding UKTV’s FAST portfolio from four to 12 channels. The broadcaster said additional platform agreements are under discussion.
The eight services are Antiques Roadshow on U, Bargain Hunt on U, Casualty on U, DIY SOS on U, EastEnders on U, Gardeners’ World on U, Holby City on U and Top Gear on U. UKTV’s existing FAST channels – U&Laughs, U&Transport, U&Real Heroes and U&The Past will also launch on LG Channels and Freely, marking the broadcaster’s first FAST launches with both platforms.
Jonathan Newman, chief commercial officer at UKTV and BBC Studios UK Region, said: “The launch of these channels is an exciting moment for UKTV, helping us reach new audiences, unlock advertising revenue and grow our streaming presence through harnessing the power of great British television. We’re delighted to be launching with LG Channels and Freely for the first time.”
The new channels will draw on hundreds of archive episodes across drama, entertainment, lifestyle and factual programming. EastEnders episodes will revisit Albert Square in the mid-2000s, including the arrival of the Branning family and Pauline Fowler’s final storyline. The Top Gear service will feature more than 20 years of programming, including its Patagonia and Polar specials.
Other programming includes Monty Don’s arrival on Gardeners’ World, Tim Wonnacott’s final series of Bargain Hunt and Antiques Roadshow episodes featuring Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Andrea Amey, chief digital officer at UKTV, (pictured) said: “Our new FAST channels bring together some of the most loved brands in British television, from Top Gear and EastEnders to Gardeners’ World and Antiques Roadshow. By creating dedicated destinations for these programmes, we’re making it easier for viewers to rediscover favourite episodes and enjoy hundreds of hours of great content for free.”
The expansion forms part of BBC Studios-owned UKTV’s investment in free streaming across partner platforms and its own service, U, alongside continued investment in its PayTV services. Several of the brands already have a FAST presence internationally, including dedicated BBC Studios channels for Top Gear and Antiques Roadshow, while EastEnders has a Dutch-subtitled FAST channel in the Netherlands.
