The streaming service will offer Channel 4’s broadcast channel and on-demand catalog at no extra cost to subscribers.
The Walt Disney Company and British broadcaster Channel 4 have agreed to a distribution deal that will bring Channel 4’s live network and on-demand programming to Disney+ in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that the arrangement is scheduled to start in early 2027, though reports also describe the rollout beginning early next year. Deadline reported that programming will arrive on Disney+ at the start of next year. Variety also reported an early 2027 launch date. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Channel lineup and programming details
Under the agreement, Disney+ subscribers in the UK and Ireland can watch Channel 4’s high-definition linear broadcast channel directly through the streaming app at no added charge. Channel 4 will appear inside its own dedicated branded hub with the same interface design as the rest of the Disney+ service.
The deal also provides hundreds of hours of on-demand scripted and unscripted shows from the broadcaster’s catalog, including the emergency room series 24 Hours in A&E, Russell T. Davies’ Tip Toe, and Big Mood starring Nicola Coughlan.
Several new Channel 4 productions will release on Disney+ at the same time they debut on television each year. Confirmed titles include the drama Maya starring Bella Ramsey, the comedy Stepping Up featuring Denise Welch, and the reality series Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Channel 4 chief executive Priya Dogra said, “This exciting step shows how collaboration between broadcasters and streamers can create more choice and value for audiences.”
Shifting audiences and streaming strategy
Both companies framed the partnership as a way to reach different sets of viewers. Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro has set a goal to make Disney+ the core digital platform for the company. Karl Holmes, general manager for Disney+ across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, said that about 40% of Disney+ viewing over the past year came from people aged 16 to 34.
Audience figures from measurement firm BARB show that viewers aged 55 and older make up 63% of Channel 4’s total viewing hours, compared with 11% for Disney+. For children aged 4 to 15, Channel 4 draws 3% of its viewing hours, while Disney+ draws 17%. Viewers aged 16 to 34 account for 10% of Channel 4 viewing, compared with 39% on Disney+.
Dogra said that audience habits are changing and that Channel 4 needs to place its public service programming onto outside platforms to connect with viewers who do not regularly watch its standard channels.
Holmes stated that Disney is not trying to undercut traditional broadcasters. “There is a genuinely complementary relationship here. We’re not competing with free-to-air partners; we’re helping them reach a broader audience,” Holmes told Deadline.
Past deals and international expansion
The agreement represents Disney’s latest partnership with a traditional European broadcaster. Over the past 18 months, Disney+ has seen a 30% increase in subscribers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, which Holmes credited in large part to carrying local European programming alongside core movie brands and Hulu entertainment.
Disney previously struck a content-sharing deal in the UK with ITV, sending programs like The Bear and The Kardashians to the ITVX platform while bringing Love Island and Mr Bates vs the Post Office to Disney-owned services. Disney has also completed broadcast pacts with ZDF and ARD in Germany, RAI in Italy, SIC in Portugal, and RTVE and Atresmedia in Spain. Rival streaming company Netflix reached a similar French distribution agreement with TF1.
Channel 4 has long bought American programming from Disney, including Abbott Elementary, The X-Files, Scandal, The Simpsons, This Is Us, and Marvel movies such as The Avengers. Dogra, who took over as Channel 4 CEO less than a year ago, also previously agreed to an advertising partnership with Skydance UK network 5 under a strategy focused on digital growth and commercial alliances.
What happens next
Disney and Channel 4 plan to announce specific launch dates and the full lineup of catalog programming closer to the rollout. While Holmes declined to give a specific number of new shows that will debut each year, he said the platform will maintain a regular flow of incoming Channel 4 titles.
Executives from both companies also said they intend to discuss further expansions to their working relationship in the future.
