topic Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV in What's On

What channels come with Sky Essential TV

DB_74 — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:01:00 GMT

Hi. I've only just joined Sky and already encountering an issue with what I can and can't watch. I have subscribed to the Essential TV package which includes discovery+ basic. On the first few days I was able to watch Car SOS on National Geographic, which I believe is through discovery +, but now when I try I'm advised I need the relevant Sky TV subscription to watch the show (Code: 1310). Can anyone advise if I should or shouldn't be able to watch National Geographic? Thanks

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Annie+UK — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:02:28 GMT

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=sky+essential+channel+list&ia=web

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

DB_74 — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:06:30 GMT

Thanks @Annie+UK for the quick reply. So it would seem that it was a glitch that I was able to initially watch National Geographic. Oh well. Thanks again.

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

SKY1992bf — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:07:00 GMT

@DB_74 which tv platform do you have

sky Q glass or stream

what is covered by essentials depends on the platform

Q only gives you FTA channels, whilst glass and stream also gives access to sky Atlantic and the discovery plus

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

DB_74 — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:35:50 GMT

Hi @SKY1992bf . I believe I have Sky Stream with the little puck box. Thanks

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Timelord2018 — Fri, 30 May 2025 22:44:12 GMT

Defiantly a mistake

National Geographic is Disney operated channel and is only in Sky Ultimate TV on Sky Stream

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Jeff4670 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:21:50 GMT

Hi, I'm curious about SKY Essentials TV. I presently have Ultimate TV, but was woundering how many services are in HD. Is it just the 5 main freeview channels or is it similar to ultimate TV? Thank you.

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

SKY1992bf — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:33:02 GMT

@Jeff4670 wrote:
Hi, I'm curious about SKY Essentials TV. I presently have Ultimate TV, but was woundering how many services are in HD. Is it just the 5 main freeview channels or is it similar to ultimate TV? Thank you.

@Jeff4670 depends on which sky platform you have

sky Q only gives you the FTA channels, whilst sky glass and stream gives the same as Q plus sky Atlantic and discovery basic

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Jeff4670 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:44:59 GMT

Thank you for your reply, but question was, how many HD channels does SKY essentials have, opposed to SKY Stream. Thanks

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Timelord2018 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:27:05 GMT

Free to Air Channels that are available in HD , Sky Atlantic , Sky Sports Mix ,Sky Sports News, Discovery channel and TLC

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

TimmyBGood — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:30:18 GMT

@Jeff4670

Sky Stream is the platform.

The content bundles are Essential TV or Ultimate TV.

I believe Essential TV gets the free to air channels plus Sky Atlantic in HD, with all the rest of the subscription Sky-branded channels and many others entirely absent.

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Marlu-Nyu — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:14:23 GMT

On Sky Q, free to air channels are part of Sky Essentials.

On Sky Glass and Sky Stream, the following channels are available with Sky Essentials:

Entertainment & Documentaries:
BBC One
BBC Two
RTÉ One (Ireland and Northern Ireland only)
RTÉ2 (Ireland and Northern Ireland only)
ITV1 / UTV / STV (UK only)
Virgin Media One (Ireland only)
Channel 4
S4C (UK only)
TG4 (Ireland and Northern Ireland only)
5 (UK only)
Virgin Media Two (Ireland only)
Sky Atlantic
U&Dave
BBC Three
BBC Scotland (UK only)
BBC Four
Virgin Media Three (Ireland only)
BBC Alba (UK only)
ITV2 (UK only)
ITV3 (UK only)
ITV4 (UK only)
Discovery Channel
5Star (UK only)
Sky Arts
ITV Quiz
U&W
TLC
E4
More4
4seven (UK only)
E4 Extra
Food Network
5USA (UK only)
Really
U&Drama
Quest
Challenge
True Crime
True Crime Extra
Legend
Quest Red
5Action
Sky Mix
5Select (UK only)
Investigation Discovery / ID
U&Yesterday
GREAT! TV
HGTV
DMAX
Virgin Media Four (Ireland only)
Discovery Turbo
Animal Planet
Blaze
U&Eden
Discovery Science
Together TV
Discovery History
BBC One regions (951-966, UK only)
BBC Two regions (967-969, UK only)
Movies:
Film4
Legend Xtra
GREAT! romance
GREAT! movies
GREAT! action
Music:
Clubland (UK only)
Now 70s (UK only)
Now 80s (UK only)
Now 90s & 00s (UK only)
Now Rock (UK only)
Sports:
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports Racing
Sky Sports Mix
News:
Sky News
Bloomberg TV
BBC News (UK only)
BBC Parliament (UK only)
CNBC
CNN International
Euronews
NDTV World
France 24 English
GB News
Oireachtas TV (Ireland only)
RTÉ News (Ireland only)
Kids:
CBBC
CBeebies
RTÉjr (Ireland and Northern Ireland only)
Cúla4 (Ireland and Northern Ireland only)
Shopping:
QVC
QVC Beauty
QVC Style
QVC Extra
International:
Aaj Talk
Music India
Hum Masala
GEO News
GEO TV
Hum Europe
PTC Punjabi
Sky News Arabia

Source: https://www.pleaseconnectme.co.uk/blog/sky-essential-tv-channel-guide/

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Timelord2018 — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:44:37 GMT

I get the impression this package was created with HBO Max upcoming launch in my mind.

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Timelord2018 — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:03:09 GMT

There is specific shows they showing as included with Sky Essentials on Sky website e.g Fire Country and Poker Face when they aren't

https://www.sky.com/deals

Isn't this false advertising?

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

SKY1992bf — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 08:28:40 GMT

@Timelord2018 can you provide specific screenshots so we can feed back to sky please, the only image I see is "The last of us " which is included as it's on sky Atlantic

edit this has been noted and flagged to sky by another superuser

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Timelord2018 — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:28:45 GMT

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

RobertS83 — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:32:11 GMT

Poker face is a peacock release so perhaps there is a deal coming from Comcast and Sky have jumped the gun?

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

SKY1992bf — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:38:18 GMT

@RobertS83 wrote:
Poker face is a peacock release so perhaps there is a deal coming from Comcast and Sky have jumped the gun?

Unlikely previous seasons are / were on max

rare for programs to switch channels

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

RobertS83 — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:40:22 GMT

I am mostly talking about on demand options.

It wouldn't suprise me if there were impending changes to counteract HBO Max to maintain a competitive edge.

Every business has to constantly evolve to keep up with the competition.

Re: What channels come with Sky Essential TV

Timelord2018 — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:59:01 GMT

Which is perhaps why Sky Atlantic is in Sky Essentials along with Discovery pay channels and not Sky Showcase, Sky Witness, Sky Max, Sky Documentaries , Sky Crime, Sky Comedy , Sky History , National Geographic and Alibi,

For example The Last Of Us will be on both HBO Max app aswell on Sky itself , so won't be a subscription driver for Sky anymore, same with House Of The Dragon.

Sky Essentials is being described as 'taste of Sky' aswell, they want people to upgrade,