How to watch My5 without adverts

The reality of ad-free My5 viewing in 2026

As of May 2026, there is no publicly confirmed standalone ad-free subscription tier for My5. Channel 5’s parent company, Paramount, has not announced plans to launch a paid option similar to ITVX Premium, which removes adverts for £7.99 per month on ITV’s streaming service.

My5 remains an advertising-funded video-on-demand platform. The service offers catch-up content from Channel 5, 5Star, and other channels within the Paramount Networks UK portfolio. Unlike BBC iPlayer, which is funded by the licence fee and carries no advertising, My5’s business model depends on commercial revenue from the ads shown before and during programmes.

Why My5 has not launched its own ad-free tier

Channel 5 has historically relied heavily on advertising income. Paramount’s ownership of the broadcaster means strategic decisions about subscription models are made at group level, and no public announcements have been made about introducing a direct-to-consumer ad-free option for My5.

This reflects a broader pattern among UK commercial broadcasters. While ITV launched its Premium tier in 2023, Channel 4’s All 4 service remains ad-supported with no paid alternative. The absence of a My5 subscription tier suggests Paramount has chosen to prioritise advertising revenue over subscription income, at least for the UK market.

Advertising agencies that buy space on My5, such as CNS Media and Media Performance, highlight the platform’s targeting capabilities and audience reach. These commercial partnerships underpin the service’s funding model and explain why removing adverts would require a significant shift in Channel 5’s revenue strategy.

What we know about third-party ad-skipping options

Some UK pay-TV providers have previously offered ad-skipping functionality across multiple catch-up services. Sky, for example, has bundled ad-removal features with its Sky Glass and Sky Stream devices for certain streaming platforms. However, the specific details of which services are currently included in any Sky ad-skipping package, the current pricing, and whether My5 is definitively part of this bundle in 2026 are not publicly disclosed in Sky’s official consumer-facing documentation.

These partnerships are typically governed by commercial agreements that are not made public. Revenue-sharing arrangements, minimum subscriber guarantees, and time-limited trials are common in the industry, but broadcasters and platform operators rarely publish the terms. This means that even if a feature was available in previous years, it may have changed by mid-2026 without a public announcement.

If you own Sky Glass or Sky Stream and want to confirm whether ad-skipping is available for My5, the most reliable route is to contact Sky’s customer service team directly through their official website or telephone helpline. Be specific about which device you own and ask whether My5 is included in any current ad-removal subscription add-ons.

How to contact My5 and Channel 5 directly

For questions about ad-free viewing options or future subscription plans, Channel 5’s customer service team is the authoritative source. My5’s help centre is accessible through their main website, and the broadcaster maintains active social media accounts where customer queries are often addressed.

You can also contact Channel 5’s parent company, Paramount Networks UK, through their corporate channels if you want to enquire about strategic plans for the service. However, commercial broadcasters typically do not disclose future product launches until they are ready to market them publicly.

Why this information is hard to verify

UK broadcasters and streaming platforms rarely publish comprehensive lists of third-party partnerships for ad-skipping features. Sky’s official media sales division focuses on advertising opportunities rather than consumer subscription details, and changes to subscription bundles are usually announced through press releases or customer emails rather than permanent public documentation.

Most features available in early 2026 may differ from what was offered in previous years, and pricing structures can change without archived confirmation. This lack of transparency is standard practice across the industry, where commercial agreements are treated as confidential business information.

What about other UK catch-up services?

ITVX Premium costs £7.99 per month and removes adverts exclusively from ITV’s streaming service. It does not cover My5, All 4, or any other broadcaster. BBC iPlayer remains ad-free for all UK licence fee payers at no additional cost, as the BBC is publicly funded and does not carry advertising.

All 4, operated by Channel 4, has not launched a standalone ad-free subscription tier. Like My5, Channel 4’s streaming service is funded by advertising, and the broadcaster has not announced plans to change this model. If any third-party platform offers ad-skipping for both All 4 and My5, it would represent the only official route to ad-free viewing for both services, but such arrangements are not publicly confirmed.

How My5’s advertising model works

My5 offers advanced audience targeting based on viewing habits, geographic location, and demographic data. Advertisers can segment audiences by programme genre preferences, meaning viewers who watch crime documentaries will see different ads to those who watch reality shows.

This sophisticated targeting is valuable to brands and generates significant revenue for Channel 5. Media buyers report strong return on investment from My5 campaigns, with some clients seeing substantial uplifts in brand awareness and sales. The platform’s ability to deliver measurable results for advertisers makes it unlikely that Channel 5 would abandon this model without a compelling alternative revenue stream.

The 2024 rebrand and what it means for viewers

In August 2024, Channel 5 announced that both the linear channel and the My5 streaming service would be rebranded as simply ‘5’. The rebrand, developed with creative agency Pablo, was designed to challenge preconceived ideas about the quality and range of Channel 5’s content.

The accompanying campaign, ‘It’s all on 5’, showcased the breadth of programming from Peppa Pig to Geordie Shore and coincided with the launch of 15 new live channels curated from Paramount’s catalogue. However, the rebrand did not include any announcement about ad-free viewing options or subscription tiers.

Typical industry practice for ad-free streaming

When streaming platforms do launch ad-free tiers, they typically price them to offset lost advertising revenue while remaining competitive with rival services. ITVX Premium’s £7.99 monthly fee is positioned below Netflix’s standard plan but above some niche streaming services.

For My5 to launch a similar tier, Paramount would need to calculate whether enough subscribers would pay to compensate for lost advertising income. The platform’s audience size, average viewing time, and current ad rates would all factor into this decision. Without public data on My5’s commercial performance, it is impossible to predict whether such a tier would be financially viable.

What you can do right now

If you want to watch My5 content without adverts, your options are limited:

1. Check with your pay-TV provider: If you subscribe to Sky, Virgin Media, or another platform that integrates My5, contact their customer service team to ask whether any ad-skipping features are available for your package.

2. Monitor Channel 5’s announcements: Follow Channel 5’s official social media accounts and sign up for their email newsletter to be notified if they launch a subscription tier in the future.

3. Accept the advertising: My5’s ad breaks are typically shorter than traditional TV ad breaks, and the platform’s targeting means you may see more relevant ads than on linear television.

Browser extensions and third-party ad-blocking tools exist, but these violate My5’s terms of service and may stop working without notice as the platform updates its streaming technology. Using such tools could also result in your account being suspended.

The bigger picture for UK streaming

The UK streaming market is evolving rapidly. ITV’s decision to launch a Premium tier demonstrated that some viewers are willing to pay to remove ads, but Channel 4 and Channel 5 have not followed suit. This suggests different broadcasters are taking different strategic approaches based on their audience demographics and commercial priorities.

Paramount’s global streaming strategy centres on Paramount+, which operates in multiple countries including the UK. Whether Paramount eventually integrates My5 content into Paramount+ or launches a separate ad-free tier for the UK market remains to be seen. For now, viewers who want ad-free streaming from Channel 5 have no official option.

If you have specific questions about ad-free viewing or want to express interest in a future subscription tier, contacting My5’s customer service team directly is the most effective way to make your voice heard. Broadcasters do monitor customer feedback when making strategic decisions about new products and services.