There’s never been a more enthralling variety of shows and documentaries on TV. But choosing which one to watch? That’s the tricky part. If you’ve ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through the listings or bickering about what to watch with your sofa mate, we’d like to introduce you to the new streaming channels launching this week – and they’re on us.

Our portfolio of live channels is designed to take all the second-guessing out of the equation. You can easily dive in to your favourite genre – why, hello, HauntTV – or onto the channel that’s airing a series you love – think Fear Factor or Deal Or No Deal USA – around the clock. They’re perfect if you know what you like and don’t fancy searching far and wide to find it.

It’s delightfully straightforward to watch these shows, too. They’re all live, so you won’t be able to record, rewind, pause or choose an episode, but you will be able to watch any of these channels, any time you want, at no extra cost. It’s you chance to simply relax and float on with your favourite shows. With all this choice, you’re bound to find something to plunge into!

How do I access these streaming channels on Virgin TV?

Our new streaming channels will appear in the Virgin TV Guide with their channel logo and a description. From there, you can dive into the one that interests you.

If you have a Virgin TV V6 box, you’ll be asked to press the Red button to launch the channel. You can return to the TV Guide whenever you want by pressing Back or another exit button.

If you are a Virgin TV360 or Virgin Stream customer, your channel will launch automatically after a couple of seconds. You can return to the TV Guide by pressing Back or another exit button.

What kind of streaming channels can I find on Virgin TV?

You’ll be swimming in a deep pool of entertainment. Keep reading for some of the fun channels that you can now watch at no extra cost. Come on in, the water’s lovely…

Inside Crime

Find it on CH 220

Prepare to be intrigued, baffled and shocked by this fascinating channel featuring a wide variety of shows about authentic criminal cases. Robbie Coltrane’s Critical Evidence presents the facts behind eight of the most complex murder cases ever to be investigated by British police, with contributions from the lead detectives and forensic specialists, many speaking for the first time. Crimes That Shook Britain looks into some of the country’s most infamous cases and murderers, while Britain’s Darkest Taboos recounts unsettling crimes committed within families and relationships.

Real Wild

Find it on CH 221

Feeling adventurous? Real Wild offers the opportunity to explore the natural world: exotic animals, remote landscapes and breathtaking wilderness. From tropical rainforests to desolate deserts, from friendly pets to predatory sharks and lions, as well as the largest animal to walk the Earth in Elephant Extravaganza, Real Wild documentaries reveal the wonders and the dangers nature has to offer. Take the plunge and prepare to be fascinated.

Mystery TV

Find it on CH 222

Prepare for a trip into the unknown, the arcane and the downright inexplicable. In River Hunters, presenter Rick Edwards and aquatic explorer Beau Ouimette, search the UK’s waterways for archaeological finds, using state-of-the-art technology to unearth the secrets hidden beneath fast-flowing water. Or tune in to Phantom Signals, which takes a closer look at the phenomenon of “unknown signals”, the strange data we record from every corner of the globe that hints at what might really be out there.

HauntTV

Find HauntTV on Channel 223

Ghost stories and jump scares are guaranteed on this deliciously spooky channel, with Most Haunted featuring as one of its signature shows. Both creepy and entertaining, the series set the standard for paranormal reality tv shows with its use of thermal imaging to detect warm and cold spots as well as an eccentric team of experts, including a “parapsychologist” and a more sceptical historian. Dive in now!

History Hit

Find History Hit on Channel 224

The past provides an endless source of fascinating and entertaining content to explore on this channel, where you’ll find original documentaries and fresh perspectives about the events from the past that have shaped our world. In Tomb Raiders, for instance, you can follow a team of archaeologists in Egypt as they discover a 3,000-year-old mummified heart. Or look out for Raiders Of The Lost Art, a deep dive into the theft of significant artworks, from a missing Vermeer to a lost Fabergé egg, and the high-stakes hunt to track them. Closer to home, Treasure Houses Of Britain is a revealing and entertaining documentary series about stately houses and their often colourful owners.

Tastemade

Find Tastemade on Channel 232

You won’t be able to resist this mouthwatering mixed platter of a TV channel devoted entirely to eating and living well. Look out for flagship series All Up In My Grill starring chef and BBQ connoisseur Dale Talder, whose considerable charm and innovative approach are constantly upstaged by his creations: a sandwich called Grilled Angry Lobster Club, for instance, or the Summer Seafood Smorgasbord. Hungry yet?

NextUp Live Comedy

Find it on CH 242

If you’re a fan of stand-up comedy, this channel will allow you to enjoy the stage performances from some of the industry’s hottest names and rising stars. As well as pre-recorded shows, you’ll get the chance to tune in to livestreams of gigs so you can enjoy the magic of live comedy from the comfort of your own home! We’ll be looking out for Paul Foot: Swan Power, the joyously offbeat, stream-of-consciousness gig performed by the well-loved comic. This August you’ll be able to watch sets from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s biggest performance art event and a hotbed of the planet’s very best comedy.  

The Chat Show Channel

Find it on CH 243

Ah, we love the glamour, the bubbliness and the unpredictability of a celebrity-packed chat show and are thrilled that we’ve been treated to a whole channel of them. On Alan Carr: Chatty Man, you can revisit all the gossip, unhinged dancing and even the occasional snog among the cocktail-fuelled guest appearances. Or else get your fill of funny, weird and irreverent interviews with a smart and witty host on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.

Baywatch

Find it on CH 244

Millions tuned in weekly throughout the 1990s to watch this huge global smash about a team of lifeguards working on a California beach. The combination of ocean-based danger and the ups and downs of the characters’ personal lives provided plenty of drama that made Baywatch enduringly popular over 11 seasons, making stars of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson. Basically, there’s never a bad time to switch on an episode and submerge yourself in the gorgeously sunny West Coast views – and, of course, admire those iconic red swimsuits.

Deal Or No Deal USA

Find it on CH 250

When this show first aired in 2005, it was an instant phenomenon: a suspenseful game show where contestants rely on luck and intuition to win a briefcase full of cash – or, maddeningly, an empty one. With the Deal Or No Deal USA channel, you can now watch this nail-biting process of elimination, and play along with the puckish deals offered by the off-set “Banker”, as often as you like.

Fear Factor

Find it on CH 251

Here’s where you’ll find a treasure trove of Fear Factor shows, each one a heady mix of daring stunts, from physical speed or endurance tests, to eating contests and “terrible haircut” trials. With lots of money at stake, trash-talking contestants and Joe Rogan as the wisecracking host, wade into Fear Factor and you’ll be guaranteed moments of hilarity and jeopardy every time you switch to this channel.

Wipeout Xtra

Find it on CH 252

In the mood for some delightfully silly TV? Look no further than this channel streaming hours and hours of this hilariously narrated game show that sets contestants on undignified physical challenges and leaves them muddy, wet, bedraggled or humiliated – and sometimes all four. Tune in whenever you need a little pick-me-up; the Wipeout Xtra channel is a guaranteed hoot.