Channel 5 TV Guide
What's on Channel 5 tonight? Tonight the highlights on Channel 5 are Build Your Dream Home in the Country at 7pm, Cornwall: a Year by the Sea at 8pm, The Hardacres at 9pm — free on Freeview channel 5 or live on My5.
Build Your Dream Home in the Country
DocumentaryMark Millar follows retirees Allan and Alison as they build a house from scratch in the Lancashire countryside, with former police officer Allan project-managing and Alison taking on…
Cornwall: a Year by the Sea
DocumentaryThe Williams family reach lambing season, the most demanding and most rewarding stretch of their farming year on the Cornish coast. Catch up via 5 streaming.
The Hardacres
DramaThe period drama continues in 1895. The family hope to celebrate Sam's (Liam McMahon) recovery, but Lady Imelda Hansen (Michele Dotrice) sets out to discredit them, while the…
Jeremy Bamber: Proof of Innocence
DocumentaryA documentary re-examining the 1985 White House Farm murders, in which five members of one family were killed. Jeremy Bamber was convicted but has always protested his innocence,…
Reuben Owen: Life in the Dales
DocumentaryReuben Owen is hired to dig out a new pond, while freezing temperatures hit Jess's farm in the Yorkshire Dales. Catch up via 5 streaming.
The Fortune
DramaThe third episode of the psychological drama. After last week's cliffhanger, Amanda (Eleanor Tomlinson) faces a moral dilemma, leaning on husband Jimmy (Matthew Lewis) and best friend Sandy…
Inside the Tower of London
DocumentaryThe story of the King's House at the Tower, once home to a powerful Tudor spymaster who interrogated high-status prisoners including Guy Fawkes, plus the Yeomen Warders' role…
The Fortune
DramaSeries finale. Everything closes in on Amanda (Eleanor Tomlinson) as she's framed for murder, her mother (Paula Wilcox) and husband (Matthew Lewis) go missing, and anonymous messages warn…
What's on Channel 5 today: the daytime schedule
Channel 5's day opens with Milkshake!, its long-running strand of children's programmes, before moving into topical morning discussion shows. Through the rest of the day the schedule mixes 5 News bulletins, afternoon films and dramas, and the kind of accessible factual series the channel is known for, such as Police Interceptors and The Yorkshire Vet.
Channel 5 tonight: primetime and the evening schedule
Channel 5's evening centres on factual entertainment, documentaries, true crime and drama. The 8pm and 9pm slots carry its most popular factual series and feature-length documentaries, alongside home-grown dramas such as All Creatures Great and Small. Regular 5 News bulletins run through the evening, and the schedule often stretches into late-night documentaries.
Popular shows on Channel 5
Channel 5 has carved out a niche in factual entertainment and warm British drama:
- Drama: All Creatures Great and Small and The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
- Factual & documentary: Police Interceptors, The Yorkshire Vet and Our Yorkshire Farm.
- Daytime: Milkshake! and the morning discussion shows.
- News: 5 News bulletins throughout the day.
How to watch Channel 5 live and on demand
Channel 5 is on Freeview channel 5 (channel 105 in HD), Sky 105, Virgin Media 105 and Freesat 105. You can watch live and catch up free on My5 at channel5.com and the My5 app, on smart TVs, phones and streaming sticks. You only need a free My5 account.
The Channel 5 family of channels
Channel 5 sits alongside a family of sister channels, including 5USA, 5Star, 5Action and 5Select, which carry US drama, entertainment and films. Channel 5 HD is on Freeview channel 105, and the main channel and its catch-up library are both available free on My5.
About Channel 5
Channel 5 launched in 1997 as the UK's fifth terrestrial channel. Funded by advertising and free to watch, it has built its reputation on accessible factual entertainment, documentaries and true crime, and more recently on popular British drama that has won it a wider audience.
Frequently asked questions
What channel number is Channel 5 on Freeview?
Channel 5 is on Freeview channel 5, with the HD version on channel 105. On Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat it is channel 105.
What's on Channel 5 tonight?
Tonight's Channel 5 highlights are listed at the top of this page and update daily. The evening typically features factual entertainment, documentaries or true crime at 8pm and 9pm, with British drama in many autumn and spring schedules.
Where can I watch All Creatures Great and Small?
All Creatures Great and Small airs on Channel 5, usually in the autumn, and every episode is available to stream free on My5.
How do I watch Channel 5 live online for free?
Watch Channel 5 live and on demand free on My5 at channel5.com, available as a website, app and on most smart TVs. You only need a free My5 account.
Is Channel 5 free to watch?
Yes. Channel 5 is free-to-air and funded by advertising. You can watch it live at no cost on Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat, or stream it free on My5.
What kind of programmes are on Channel 5?
Channel 5 specialises in factual entertainment, documentaries, drama such as All Creatures Great and Small, and news, with primetime running from around 7pm to 11pm.
