UK broadcaster Channel 5 is deepening its third-party streaming line-up with a wave of FAST channels and on-demand libraries from AMC Networks International UK (AMCNI UK) and Hearst Networks – a move that neatly mirrors parent company Paramount Global’s wider strategy around free streaming through Pluto TV.
Six additional live streams and hundreds of hours of library titles will arrive on 5 over the coming months, marking the most significant expansion of partner content to date.
AMCNI UK is rolling out four genre and single-series FAST services this month, AMC Cupid, AMC Reality, Love After Lockup and True Crime UK, joining existing AMC-branded AVOD selections already available on 5. True Crime UK is delivered via the long-standing Paramount/AMC JV, while the other three are operated by AMCNI UK.
Hearst Networks is joining the platform for the first time with two AVOD collections, Inside Crime and Mystery TV, ahead of corresponding FAST versions scheduled for Q1 2026. Inside Crime is available now, with Mystery TV set to go live as an on-demand offer in January before being spun up as a linear FAST feed.
Although the new channels broaden 5’s line-up across true crime and reality, the move also situates the broadcaster more clearly inside Paramount’s global FAST play. Pluto TV, owned by the same group, has established a sizeable footprint in the ad-supported streaming space internationally, and 5’s push into third-party channels draws on the same logic: genre depth, long-tail viewing and incremental digital ad revenue.
Kiaran Saunders, VP of distribution at 5, commented: “Our partnerships with AMCNI UK and Hearst Networks represent a significant step in our strategy to deliver a deep, rich selection of content to audiences and advertisers. With these new FAST channels and on-demand collections, we continue to strengthen 5’s position as a leading destination for premium programming across a range of genres, particularly true crime where AMC and Hearst have a best-in-class offering.”
For UK commercial broadcasters, FAST has become an increasingly important lever as linear audiences fragment. By combining its own channel brands with specialist partners and leaning into Paramount’s group expertise, 5 is positioning its streaming service not simply as catch-up, but as a destination in the free streaming landscape.
Pictured: Love After Lock Up
