UK TV IN FRANCE

Freely is the United Kingdom's brand-new free IPTV television service, launched in April 2024 by Everyone TV — the joint venture operated by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. It is designed to be the natural successor to Freeview for the streaming age, delivering all of the UK's major public service channels — BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, ITV, ITV2, ITV3, Channel 4, More4, Channel 5, 5Star, Dave, Drama, Yesterday, GB News, PBS America, CNN Headlines and many more — live and in full HD, streamed entirely over a broadband internet connection, with no need for a satellite dish, a television aerial, or any kind of cable.

Freely is primarily designed for use within the United Kingdom, but with the correct network configuration it works very well in France. The key requirement is a stable broadband connection of at least 10 Mbps — a threshold comfortably met by most standard French internet connections, whether via Orange, SFR, Bouygues or Free. Once correctly set up, British residents in France can enjoy the full Freely experience: live UK public television, a seamless unified programme guide, and instant access to Catch Up and On Demand content from BBC iPlayer, ITVX, My5 and All4, all in one place without logging into separate applications.

One of Freely's most impressive features is the sheer volume of content it provides at absolutely no cost. There is no monthly subscription, no contract and no hidden fees of any kind. The platform currently offers over 70 live channels alongside more than 75,000 hours of on-demand programming — more free content than any paid streaming service in the UK. In 2025, a further 16 new channels were added exclusively to Freely, including new channels from ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, with more additions planned for 2026 through partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN and others. Freely is genuinely built for the long term: updates and new channels are delivered automatically over Wi-Fi, so the service only gets better over time.

Beyond live television, Freely introduces features that were previously associated only with premium pay-TV services. These include Backwards TV Guide — allowing you to go back and watch programmes that have already aired without leaving the guide — a Never Miss function that automatically records your favourite series, and a My List feature to save up to 50 shows in one place. The unified programme guide brings all broadcasters together in familiar numbered channels, making it as intuitive as traditional Freeview whilst being far more powerful. For British expats in France who want the full British television experience without the complexity or cost of a satellite dish or a pay-TV subscription, Freely is an outstanding solution.

Freely is built into a growing range of new smart televisions from manufacturers including Hisense, Panasonic, Sharp, Bush, Toshiba, JVC, Philips and Amazon Fire TV sets — brands that collectively represent around half of all new TV sets sold in the UK. If you are purchasing a new television for your home in France, choosing a Freely-enabled model means the service is available natively with no additional equipment required. Alternatively, we can advise you on the best configuration to enjoy Freely on your existing television in France. Contact us or request our documentation for full details, pricing and setup guidance.