5 is launching a new channel dedicated to drama

Channel 5 Shakes Up TV Guide With New Channel Dedicated to Hit UK, US, and Aussie Series

UK television fans are in for a major schedule overhaul this autumn as public service broadcaster Channel 5 prepares to launch a brand-new destination for drama lovers.

On October 21st, 5Drama will officially join the broadcaster’s portfolio, becoming a dedicated home to the very best of 5’’s hit UK drama, alongside a wide range of popular US and Australian series. The fresh launch will see 5Drama replace 5Select across all major digital platforms while taking on a higher, more prominent position on the EPG.

The channel’s lineup is set to feature 5’s award-winning original dramas, including All Creatures Great and Small, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, and The Hardacres, alongside acclaimed detective series such as Ellis and Dalgliesh. Beyond its linear programming, 5Drama will showcase boxset hits from 5Streaming, giving viewers easy access to favorites like Gilmore Girls, A Million Little Things, and Waterloo Road.

In a major treat for soap lovers, 5Drama will celebrate Channel 5’s long-standing connection to Australian television shortly after launch by airing Home and Away from its very first episode. Fans will be able to relive the iconic show right from its 1988 beginnings, revisiting classic Summer Bay legends like Alf Stewart and Sally Fletcher and tracking the storylines that captured UK audiences decades ago.

Designed to take viewers seamlessly from day to night, the weekday schedule will kick off with nostalgic US dramas in the afternoon, building into recent boxset favorites ahead of primetime. Peak time will open at 7pm and 8pm with family-friendly favorites, leading into classic UK drama at 9pm. At 10pm, viewers can catch up on 5’s biggest thriller and mystery titles, including The Cuckoo, The Catch, Cold Call, The House Across the Street, The Au Pair, Number One Fan, The Rumour, and The Fortune. Late nights will wrap up with a double bill of Australian drama.

Weekends are equally tailored to genre fans: Saturdays will showcase “super sleuths” ranging from Jessica Fletcher to Inspector Dalgliesh, while Sundays are reserved for full UK drama marathons.

The addition of 5Drama expands Channel 5’s core linear lineup, joining 5, 5Action, 5Star, and 5USA. It also complements the network’s growing selection of FAST channels available on 5Streaming and Freely – a suite that includes themed feeds like 5Cops, 5Police Interceptors, 5Crime, 5A&E, 5Trucking Hell, 5Bargain Loving Brits, 5Medical, 5Yorkshire Vet, 5History, 5Movies, 5Christmas in Summer, and Milkshake!.

At the same time, the broadcaster is ramping up its digital footprint on YouTube with the launch of 5Docs. The new digital channel serves as a centralized hub for Channel 5’s top factual talent, featuring travel series with Michael Palin, history programming with Dan Snow, and nature adventures with Steve Backshall, with new content uploaded weekly. 5Docs lands alongside 5’s existing YouTube offerings, including 5Sport, live NFL games on the main channel, 5 News, Jeremy Vine & Daytime on 5, and Milkshake!.

Reemah Sakaan, President of 5, said: “Award winning drama is increasingly at the heart of what 5 offers viewers, so it’s the right time to give it a dedicated home. This, and the expansion of our portfolio across multiple platforms, is about sharpening our channels and giving viewers a clear offer wherever they’re watching – on linear, 5Streaming, Freely or YouTube.”

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