U (streaming service)
Video-on-demand service owned by UKTV
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U is UKTV’s free, ad-supported streaming service in the UK, offering on-demand access to programmes from UKTV’s free-to-air channels including U&Dave, U&Drama, U&W, U&Yesterday, Pay-TV channels including U&Eden, U&Alibi and U&Gold. The service launched on 4 August 2014. UKTV is operated by the BBC’s commercial subsidiary BBC Studios.
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History
UKTV Play was first announced in June 2014.[1] Prior to its launch, each UKTV channel had their own on-demand services.
UKTV Play launched on iOS in August, on PC, YouView and Virgin Media in November[2] and on Android in February 2015.[3] The service would then launch on Freeview Play in August 2016,[4] on Roku and Sky UK's Now in February 2018,[5] and on Freesat and Samsung smart TVs in September 2018.[6]
Following the relaunch of W (originally Watch) as a free-to-air service, the channel's shows became available to watch for free on UKTV Play.[7]
Rebrand to U
In November 2023, UKTV announced that UKTV Play would be renamed as U, as part of the unification of UKTV's channels and service under the new masterbrand.[8] UKTV Play rebranded as U on 16 July 2024.[9]
In September 2024 U became available on Freely.[10] In September 2025, the U app was added to Sky Q boxes in the UK.[11] In January 2026, UKTV and Channel 4 agreed a deal that would see thousands of hours of U content also made available on Channel 4 streaming.[12]