Your Sky TV box just unlocked 6 brand-new channels for free
Sky Glass and Sky Stream viewers will be able to watch six new channels on their box ...but Sky Q owners miss out for now
SKY TV PRESS OFFICE
Switching on your Sky TV box today — you'll find six brand-new channels waiting for you.
Sky has treated viewers with its Sky Glass TVs or Sky Stream boxes to the new additions at no extra cost. The new channels will be dedicated to much-loved shows that have previously aired on Sky, perfect if you fancy revisiting an old favourite or are relatively new to the satellite broadcaster and want to see what you've missed.
All six new channels can be accessed with a voice command, or by heading to the My Apps section of your Sky Glass or Sky Stream box
SKY TV PRESS OFFICE
Unfortunately, if you're still watching on Sky Q or Sky+, which is set to lose access to all Sky TV channels next month, then you won't be able to watch any of the new additions today. However, Sky has confirmed to GB News that it's working on an update to bring the six new channels to Sky Q viewers in the autumn.
The new channels are — Pick Paranormal, Emergency 24/7, Sky Artist of The Year, Sky Sports Stories, Sky Sports Classics, and Sky Sports Vault.
All six of these brand-new additions to the line-up are so-called FAST channels, Free Ad-supported Streaming Television. That means you'll only be able to watch with an active internet connection and there's no extra fee. The launch from Sky TV mirrors similar moves from other broadcasters.
Samsung has its own portfolio of ad-supported channels via Samsung TV Plus and Roku broadcasts its free-to-watch service, dubbed The Roku Channel, to device owners (and Sky TV customers) worldwide.
Meanwhile, Sony has its own ad-supported television channels that are only available on Smart TVs from Samsung and LG, TiVo+ set-top boxes, and some smartphones and tablets — following its decision to ditch traditional terrestrial and satellite broadcasts in favour of FAST channels earlier this year.
The FAST channels put together by the teams at Sky will be accessible on Sky Glass and Sky Stream through the new Xumo Play app, which arrives with an extra 70+ free ad-supported streaming channels, including the likes of Dateline, Reuters, and American Classics.
Xumo Play is one of the leading FAST apps worldwide and was built as part of a joint venture between Comcast, which owns Sky TV, and Charter. The launch of Xumo Play on Sky Glass and Sky Stream marks the first time this new service will be available outside North America.
Sky TV customers can easily find the free app in the apps rail, or by saying “Xumo Play” into their Sky voice remote and start watching the new channels straight away. No need to create an account.
Later this year, the new FAST channels will be integrated into the TV guide on Sky Glass and Sky Stream for easier discovery alongside the usual line-up of 150 channels bundled with all Sky TV packages.
Here's a taste of what to expect from the new additions...
- Pick Paranormal |Not for the faint of heart, Pick Paranormal features Most Haunted, the fan favourite TV show investigating all things supernatural
- Emergency 24/7 | With Highway Cops, Air Ambulance ER and Stop Search Seize, plus many more shows, Emergency 24/7 is packed full of drama
- Sky Artist of The Year | The channel for art aficionados, viewers can catch up on Sky’s Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year
- Sky Sports Stories | Whatever their sport, Sky Sports Stories has a documentary for every fan — from EFL Rivalries to Her Huddle
- Sky Sports Classics | Viewers can delve into the Sky Sports archives with the likes of Premier League Icons and Premier League Legends
- Sky Sports Vault | This new channel revisits a whole host of archive darts, EFL and boxing content including 30 Years of The PDC World Darts Championship and Fight Night