All products and promotions are independently selected by our experts. To help us provide free impartial advice, we will earn an affiliate commission if you buy something. Click here to learn more
Subscribe to Virgin Media for your television package? The popular telecom is treating millions of its loyal customers to a television upgrade — adding 14 paid-for channels to set-top boxes overnight free of charge.
It's the second giveaway from Virgin Media at the moment, with new and returning users currently able to claim a free robot vacuum cleaner from award-winning Eufy or £200 off bills until the end of this month.
Unlock 14 paid-for TV channels FREE with all Virgin Media's broadband and telly bundles
Virgin Media has unlocked 14 premium television channels for every customer nationwide to celebrate Diwali. Usually £12 per month, the bundle will be available to stream live and on-demand until November 8 at no extra cost. It works across the newly-rebranded Stream service, Virgin TV 360, and Virgin TV V6 boxes
Badshah is a new addition to the Judging Panel this year, alongside Shreya Ghoshal and Vishal Dadlani. The new season of the hit show promises mesmerising talent, jaw-dropping performances, and unforgettable moments
VIRGIN MEDIA PRESS OFFICE
Usually £12 per month, the free channels will be available in High Definition (HD) across the complete line-up of Virgin Media hardware, including Virgin TV 360, Virgin Stream, and Virgin TV V6 set-top boxes, until November 8.
It comes as Virgin Media quietly rebranded its Stream television service overnight.
From today, anyone with this box — or the other set-top boxes from the brand — can start watching live and on-demand content from 14 paid-for channels packed with South Asian entertainment to celebrate Diwali season.
Millions of Virgin Media viewers will be able to enjoy a swathe of content, including popular Indian dramas like Anupamaa and Ghum hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin on Utsav Plus HD, reality telly fans can tune into Bigg Boss season 18 on Colors HD, while quiz show enthusiasts can watch Kaun Banega Crorepati on Sony TV HD. You'll also unlock a variety of Bollywood movies, from classic films to recent blockbusters.
Yes, movie lovers will be able to enjoy fan-favourite and classic films from the comfort of their sofa, such as the critically acclaimed and award- winning Animal with Ranbir Kapoor (Sony MAX HD), Singh Is Kinng (B4U Movies) and Guru and Boom (Colors Cineplex).
Family comedy Laapataa Ladies (Sony MAX HD) and Cirkus starring Deepika Padukone (B4U Movies) will also be available to watch, alongside the latest Bollywood blockbusters such as Fighter (Deepika, Hrithik Roshan), and movie premieres Maidaan (Ajay Devgn) on Utsav Gold HD and Dunki (Shah Rukh Khan) on Zee Cinema HD.
All of these channels are bundled in a package known as Asian Mela, which costs £12 per month. After November 8, you'll need to add the Asian Mela package to your subscription or you'll no longer be able to watch the shows, documentaries, and blockbuster movies.
The full list of channels bundled for free is as follows:
- Channel 801 — Utsav Gold HD
- Channel 802 — Utsav Bharat
- Channel 803 — Utsav Plus HD
- Channel 805 — Sony TV HD
- Channel 806 — Sony MAX HD
- Channel 808 — Sony MAX2
- Channel 809 — Zee TV HD
- Channel 810 — Zee Cinema HD
- Channel 811 — Zee Punjabi HD
- Channel 815 — B4U Movies
- Channel 825 — Colors Gujarati
- Channel 826 — Colors HD
- Channel 827 — Colors Rishtey
- Channel 828 — Colors Cineplex
Speaking about the giveaway for Virgin Media viewers, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, David Bouchier, told GBN: "Diwali is an incredibly special time for families and friends to come together and celebrate. We want to add to the festivities the best way we know how – giving Virgin Media TV customers access to world-leading South Asian entertainment channels at no extra cost.
"From the latest South Asian TV premieres to classic Hindi movies in HD, there’s something for everybody to enjoy this Diwali across our Asian Mela channels."
The free television offers expires November 8, giving millions of Virgin Media viewers plenty of time to discover new favourites or revisit beloved classics. Prices for Virgin Media bundles with television start from just £39.99 per month, which includes access to some Sky TV channels and full-fibre broadband.
For £84.99 per month, you'll take delivery of Virgin Media's gigabit-capable broadband service — with download speeds of 1,000Mbps, that's 14x faster than the UK average — as well as Sky Sports HD, Sky Cinema HD, a complete Netflix subscription, and an unlimited O2 SIM card with the ability to use your calls, text messages, and 5G mobile data in 75 countries worldwide. Dubbed the Mega Volt bundle, this package is usually priced at £178 per month — but you can lock-in the £84.99 price for the duration of the 18-month contractand take delivery of a Robot Vacuum Cleaner from Eufy worth £399.
We've rounded up the best Sky Stream deals and best Sky Glass deals in dedicated guides, so you can compare the best options for paid-for television in the UK.
