Disney+ to Carry Channel 4 Live Broadcast in U.K. and Ireland From 2027

Disney+ will begin carrying Channel 4's main broadcast channel alongside an on-demand library for subscribers in the U.K. and Ireland in early 2027, the two companies announced. The arrangement adds Channel 4's live HD feed and hundreds of hours of scripted and unscripted programming directly to the Disney+ interface, with no additional subscription cost. A Channel 4-branded section will sit within the Disney+ navigation system.

Under the terms, multiple Channel 4 shows will arrive on Disney+ on the same day they air on Channel 4. The titles announced include the drama Maya with Bella Ramsey, the comedy Stepping Up with Denise Welch, and the reality series Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. The on-demand catalog will also carry Big Mood, Tip Toe and 24 Hours in A&E. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Karl Holmes, general manager for Disney+ EMEA, described the Channel 4 deal as the most ambitious collaboration of its kind in Europe. He said Disney+ has spent the past 12 to 18 months learning how to work with public broadcasters in major European markets. "Across the markets we operate in Europe, the big free-to-air channels still aggregate the largest audiences, have the largest shows, and have the largest production budgets," Holmes said. Disney+ has previously signed content agreements with ITV in the U.K., RAI in Italy, ARD and ZDF in Germany, SIC in Portugal, and RTVE and Atresmedia in Spain.

The deal connects two different audience profiles. Data from the U.K. measurement firm BARB shows 63 percent of Channel 4's viewership hours come from people aged 55 and older, while that group accounts for 11 percent of Disney+ hours. Viewers aged 16 to 34 make up 39 percent of Disney+ hours and 10 percent of Channel 4's. Holmes said pairing the two libraries is designed to bring Channel 4 programming to Disney+'s younger audience base.

Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra said the broadcaster's own platforms remain its primary distribution point. "It's important to say that our owned and operated services, whether it's the main channel or the streaming service, still remain very important," Dogra said. She added that the deal would expose Disney+ users to Channel 4 programming while preserving Channel 4 branding alongside the content.

Disney+'s subscriber base in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region grew 30 percent over the past 18 months, Holmes said, and he attributed much of that growth to local programming and content obtained through partnerships with free-to-air broadcasters. Further details on the launch date and the specific content lineup will be released later.