Freely claimed to be UK’s fastest growing TV platform after weekly user milestone

Everyone TV, the organisation behind free streaming platform Freely, has claimed the service is now the fastest growing TV platform in the UK after it surpassed one million weekly users recently.

Jonathan Thompson

Freely edged past six figures for the first time over Christmas, with 1.01 million users connected on a Freely-enabled device during the week starting December 22.

That number is almost double the 510,000 recorded just a few months earlier, on August 25. Everyone TV believes those numbers back up its claim that Freely enjoyed the highest primary-set growth among TV platforms in the UK during 2025.

The company, formerly Digital UK, is a joint venture owned and supported by UK broadcasters the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5.

It rolled out Freely in 2024, with the service allowing viewers to watch live and on-demand TV for free, all in one place, through smart TV sets.

At Mipcom in October, Freely announced a wave of content partnership deals that brought 10 more channels to the service, including brands such as Hearst Networks entertainment brand Blaze and five networks from AMC Networks International UK. Bosses hope that Freely will carry more than 70 live channels by the end of 2026.

Over the Christmas period, BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, 5 and ITV2 were the most popular live streaming channels, as viewers watched shows including Coronation Street, EastEnders, The King’s Speech, Finding Father Christmas and Strictly Come Dancing.

Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Everyone TV, said: “Surpassing one million weekly users is an exciting milestone for Freely, signalling that there is audience demand for a simple way to stream live British TV and discover great on demand shows – all in one place.

“Freely was the largest growing TV platform in 2025, showing the power of the UK’s public service broadcasters working together to make brilliant British TV easy to discover and stream.”