UKTV launches four FAST channels on Samsung TV+, Amazon Freevee, and Pluto TV

UKTV announces the launch of four Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee and Pluto TV. The move reflects the broadcaster's debut in the FAST market with further plans to build on the offer with FAST channels to launch on its free streaming service UKTV Play at a later date. "FAST is a fantastic opportunity to reach new audiences with our rich content catalog and showcase a wide array of genres across the four new channels," Jonathan Newman said. "Thanks to the hard work of a group of passionate experts from across UKTV, our new FAST channels will be a valuable complement to the existing channel network and will help supercharge the UKTV Play streaming service by further extending its reach."

The four new channels will launch in the UK on Samsung TV Plus on Wednesday 23rd August and Amazon Freevee and Pluto TV on Thursday 24th August. The FAST launch has been led by UKTV's Director of Advertising, Sarah Goldman and Head of Distribution, Philipp Pfister, with oversight from Jonathan Newman, General Manager, Commercial. For playout and distribution services on the partner platforms, UKTV worked with Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV.

The UKTV Play branded channels will provide curated access to some of UKTV's content, and its free-to-air channel brands.  UKTV Play Heroes allows viewers to join frontline medics and police at life's most dramatic moments, with stories heroism of paramedics, doctors, nurses and the police. The channel features "Emma Willis: Delivering Babies," "Inside the Ambulance," "999: Rescue Squad," "Special Ops: Crime Squad," "Cop Car Workshop," "Inside the Operating Theatre," "Nurses Down Under" and "The Shift: Women on the Force."

UKTV Play Laughs invites comedytitles, featuring "Hypothetical," Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable," Judge Romesh and "Comedians Giving Lectures." UKTV "Play Full Throttle" takes viewers to the skies, the tracks or the road, with shows packed with planes, trains, cars and more. The channel allows viewers to get under the bonnet, inside the cowling and off down the tracks for riveting shows led by expert hosts including "Bangers & Cash, Architecture" the "Railways Built," "Warbird Workshop," "Yianni: Supercar Customiser," "Secrets of the Railways," "Train Truckers," "Impossible Railways," "Secrets of the London Underground," and "Modern Wheels or Classic Steals."

UKTV Play Uncovered covers aspects of history and engineering. Audiences are invited to explore battlefields, ancient monoliths to modern myths, with featured titles including "Abandoned Engineering," "Forbidden History," "World War 2 From Above," "War Factories," "History Hunters," "Warbird Workshop," "World War Weird," "World War 2 Frontlines" and "Secret Nazi Bases."