U (formerly UKTV Play) is a video on demand service owned by UKTV, a subsidiary of BBC Studios. The service launched on 4 August 2014 and offers catch-up programming from UKTV’s free-to-air channels, which include U&Dave, U&Drama, U&W and U&Yesterday.
Available on U, drama, comedy, heart-pounding culinary competition from five different countries, classic soaps, dirty cops, tears, laughs, break-ups, make-ups, real-life stories, unmissable US boxsets, 2400 episodes of a legendary British police show or a crime solving nun on a Vespa – all for free.
U is powered by the Oplayer
Website: https://u.co.uk (Content is Geoblocked)
Live Streams
U’s channels are all streamed live on the Freely streaming platform.
Live Channels
U&Dave
U&Dave is the award-winning entertainment channel home to UKTV Original comedy hits like the BAFTA-winning Big Zuu’s Big Eats, Battle In The Box and David Mitchell’s Outsiders. There’s also exclusive online and social media content and the crowning of the winner of U&Dave’s Joke of the Fringe at Edinburgh each year.
U&Dave currently broadcasts on channel 19 on Freeview and channel 157 on Freesat and channel 19 on Freely.
U&Drama
U&Drama is a treasure trove of classic and modern drama programmes. With Call the Midwife, The Bill, Silent Witness, and new and exclusive Sister Boniface Mysteries, Whitstable Pearl and The Marlow Murder Club, U&Drama is full of stories for viewers to fully immerse themselves in.
U&Drama currently broadcasts on channel 20 on Freeview, channel 158 on Freesat and channel 20 on Freely.
U&Eden
U&Eden is a British free-to-air television channel owned by UKTV that broadcasts factual entertainment, documentaries, and drama programming.
The channel focuses on high-quality factual programming, science, nature, and series drama.
U&Eden currently broadcasts on channel 57 on Freeview, channel 160 on Freesat and channel 71 on Freely.
U&W
U&W is a TV channel that is passionate about people. From Emma Willis: Delivering Babies and Katherine Ryan: Parental Guidance to Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens, U&W is a quality mix of heart-warming shows finding the joy in everyday moments.
U&W currently broadcasts on channel 25 on Freeview and channel 156 on Freesat and channel 28 on Freely.
U&Yesterday
U&Yesterday focuses on history and archive programmes. TV for curious minds, revealing fascinating factual stories from the world around us. U&Yesterday showcases original series like Bangers & Cash, Secrets of the London Underground and Classic Car Fixers, plus new and exclusive episodes of Find It, Fix It, Flog It and Canal Boat Diaries.
U&Yesterday currently broadcasts on channel 25 on Freeview and channel 156 on Freesat and channel 27 on Freely.
U on Pluto
U streams four free channels in the UK on Pluto TV:
U&Laughs
U&Laughs on Pluto TV is a comedy-packed channel dedicated to delivering non-stop entertainment and feel-good humour. Featuring a mix of classic sitcoms, modern comedies, and light-hearted entertainment shows, U&Laughs offers something for every comedy fan. From laugh-out-loud moments to easy-going viewing, the channel is perfect for unwinding with familiar favourites and discovering new comedic gems—all available to stream for free.
U&Real Hereoes
U&Real Heroes is a free channel on Pluto TV dedicated to real-life stories of courage, resilience, and extraordinary human effort. The channel features a range of factual and documentary-style programming, focusing on emergency services, dramatic rescue missions, survival situations, and powerful human-interest stories. From frontline police and ambulance work to gripping accounts of disaster response and everyday heroism, U&Real Heroes offers compelling insight into the people who step up in critical moments.
U&ThePast
U&The Past on Pluto TV is a dedicated history and documentary channel that brings the stories of yesterday to life. Featuring a rich mix of factual programming, the channel explores key moments, people, and places that have shaped the world we live in today. From compelling wartime documentaries and ancient civilisations to biographies of influential figures and nostalgic looks at everyday life in decades gone by, U&The Past offers something for anyone curious about history.
U&Transport
U&Transport is a free channel on Pluto TV dedicated to the fascinating world of transport and engineering. Broadcasting 24/7, it delivers a mix of factual entertainment and documentary programming that explores how vehicles and infrastructure keep the world moving.
From classic car restorations and vehicle auctions to railways, aviation, and large-scale engineering projects, U&Transport offers an in-depth look at machines in action and the people behind them. Viewers can enjoy popular series such as Bangers & Cash, alongside programmes that go behind the scenes of transport networks, logistics, and mechanical innovation.
Bitrates on U
U offers streams with an average bitrate of 1802 kbps. Video quality can be a little blurred at full-screen. At this bitrate, video quality should be a bit sharper, it appears to be lower than standard definition.
Based on a web browswer, this may vary on mobile devices and TV apps.
Video
Codec: H264 MPEG-4 AVC
Video Resolution: 1024×576
Buffer dimensions: 1024×576
Audio
Codec: MPEG AAC Audio (mp4a)
Channels: Stereo
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 1536 kb/s