The Freesat TV guide is built into every Freesat box and TV: press TV Guide on the remote for seven days of listings. Freesat itself is the UK’s free satellite service, with no monthly fee and more than 100 channels including radio, run by Everyone TV for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are in HD at 101 to 105. Tonight’s 9pm line-up and the main channel numbers are below.
Freesat TV Guide: Tonight’s Line-Up and Channel Numbers
What’s on Freesat tonight at 9pm
Tonight, Friday 23 October 2026, at 9pm, in Freesat channel order. Each channel name opens that channel’s full schedule for the day.
| Freesat | Channel | On at 9pm |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | BBC One | The Celebrity Traitors (from 8pm) |
| 102 | BBC Two | Gardeners’ World |
| 103 | ITV1 | Beat the Chasers |
| 104 | Channel 4 | George Clarke’s Building Home (from 8pm) |
| 105 | Channel 5 | Egypt with Dan Snow (from 8pm) |
| 107 | BBC Three | Death in Paradise |
| 108 | BBC Four | TOTP: 1987 (from 8.40pm) |
| 109 | BBC Alba | Julie Fleeting |
| 113 | ITV2 | Big Brother: Live Eviction |
| 115 | ITV3 | Doc Martin |
| 117 | ITV4 | Darts: European Championship (from 6pm) |
| 120 | S4C | Y Clwb Rygbi Y Bencampwriaeth Rygbi Uned (from 7.30pm) |
| 122 | E4 | Speed |
| 124 | More4 | Coastal Unit |
| 127 | 4seven | 24 Hours in A&E |
| 129 | 5USA | Beauty and the Beast |
| 131 | 5Star | 999: Critical Condition |
| 132 | 5Action | A Fistful of Dollars |
| 137 | Legend | 12 Rounds |
| 142 | Challenge | The Chase |
| 143 | Sky Arts | The Rolling Stones: Live At the Max |
| 144 | TLC | 90 Day Fiancé |
| 145 | Quest | The Repair Shop |
| 147 | DMAX | Massive Engineering Mistakes |
| 148 | Food Network | Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen |
| 149 | Really | My Feet Are Killing Me |
| 155 | PBS America | Sicily: the Conquered Isle (from 8.30pm) |
| 157 | Dave | QI XL |
| 158 | Drama | Miss Marple (from 8pm) |
| 159 | Yesterday | Canal Boat Diaries |
| 161 | Blaze | My Strange Arrest |
| 164 | Rewind TV | Bowler |
| 300 | Film4 | The Contractor |
| 306 | Talking Pictures TV | Cellar Club with Caroline Munro |
For the whole evening across the main channels, see tonight’s TV guide, or films on TV tonight.
What channels are on Freesat? Channel list and numbers
Freesat says it carries more than 100 channels once HD, regional and radio services are counted. Its official list today shows about 90 TV channels and around 35 radio stations, and the exact total shifts as channels join or leave. There is no monthly fee for the satellite channels. You need a dish with a clear line of sight to the sky, and heavy rain or snow can affect the signal.
The numbers below were checked against the official Freesat channel list on 20 October 2026 and cover the channels most people look for. Entertainment channels sit in the 100s, news in the 200s, films in the 300s, children’s TV in the 600s and radio in the 700s. The main five channels are in HD at their normal numbers, so there is no separate HD block to hunt for.
Main channels
| No. | Channel |
|---|---|
| 101 | BBC One (your region, set by postcode) |
| 102 | BBC Two |
| 103 | ITV1 (STV in central and north Scotland, UTV in Northern Ireland) |
| 104 | Channel 4 |
| 105 | Channel 5 |
| 107 | BBC Three (closing spring 2027) |
| 108 | BBC Four |
| 109 | BBC Alba |
| 110 | BBC Scotland (106 in Scotland; closing spring 2027) |
| 113 | ITV2 |
| 115 | ITV3 |
| 117 | ITV4 |
| 120 | S4C |
Entertainment and factual
| No. | Channel |
|---|---|
| 122 | E4 |
| 124 | More4 |
| 127 | 4seven |
| 129 | 5USA |
| 131 | 5Star |
| 132 | 5Action |
| 137 | Legend |
| 142 | Challenge |
| 143 | Sky Arts |
| 144 | TLC |
| 145 | Quest |
| 147 | DMAX |
| 149 | Really |
| 155 | PBS America |
| 157 | U&Dave |
| 158 | U&Drama |
| 159 | U&Yesterday |
| 161 | Blaze |
| 164 | Rewind TV |
News
| No. | Channel |
|---|---|
| 200 | BBC News |
| 202 | Sky News |
Films
| No. | Channel |
|---|---|
| 300 | Film4 |
| 306 | Talking Pictures TV |
For a day-by-day view of the films across free channels, see films on TV this week. Sky Cinema is a pay service, but our Sky Cinema guide covers what it is showing.
Children’s
| No. | Channel |
|---|---|
| 600 | CBBC |
| 601 | CBeebies |
If your children also watch on Freeview, the numbers differ. Our CBeebies and CBBC channel numbers page lists them across platforms.
Which channels are not on Freesat?
The GREAT! channels (GREAT! Movies, GREAT! Action, GREAT! Romance and GREAT! TV) were removed from Freesat on 7 February 2024, along with POP and Tiny Pop. That is why a Freesat box has no GREAT! Movies at any number, however many times you retune.
That’s TV is not on the official Freesat list either. You will sometimes see it described as a Freesat channel, but it is not one now.
The GREAT! channels and That’s TV are still on Freeview by aerial. POP and Tiny Pop are now streaming-only on Freeview, so they need an internet connection. If you want them, check the Freeview channel guide, or read how to watch Freeview channels online if you have a broadband connection and no aerial.
Regional channels on Freesat
Freesat picks the right regional BBC One and ITV1 for you, based on the postcode you enter during setup. You then find them at the normal numbers, 101 and 103.
- BBC One regions: every regional version also has its own number from 951 to 966. Scotland is 964, Wales is 965 and Northern Ireland is 966.
- ITV1: STV covers central and north Scotland, and UTV covers Northern Ireland, both on channel 103.
- S4C: channel 120.
- BBC Scotland: channel 110, or 106 for viewers in Scotland.
- BBC Alba: channel 109.
A satellite dish does not depend on a nearby transmitter, so it can help where an aerial picture keeps breaking up. The regional BBC and ITV channels you would expect are all there.
How to use the Freesat TV guide
On screen
Press the TV Guide button on your remote, or open it from the Home screen. The guide runs seven days ahead. Pick a programme to see its details, and record it from that screen if your box has a recorder.
Backwards guide
The Backwards TV Guide looks at the previous seven days, so you can find something you missed. It is available on the 4K Recordable box only, not on every Freesat model.
Retuning
If a channel has gone missing, or a new one has arrived, retune the box. Every Freesat box and TV has a retune option in its settings menu, though the exact steps vary by model. Older standard definition-only boxes cannot show channels that now broadcast in HD only, and a retune will not fix that.
Series Link
To record every episode, select the programme in the guide, press OK and pick Record Series. Recording several channels at once on a 4K recorder needs a wideband LNB on the dish.
Online and on your phone
Freesat has an online guide at freesat.co.uk/tv-guide that shows about a week ahead. Freesat also has an app for iOS and Android. For tonight’s picks in plain English, come back to this page, or start from what’s on TV tonight.
Freesat boxes also include catch-up apps such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and YouTube. In October 2026 the boxes on sale ran from about £99 for a 4K TV box without recording, with recorders from about £230. Check Freesat’s shop for current prices.
Is there a Freesat TV guide magazine?
No. Freesat does not publish an official printed guide, and we are not aware of a magazine run by Freesat itself. Freesat’s own guide lives on screen, in the app and on its website, each covering roughly a week.
General TV listings magazines do cover the channels you get on Freesat, but they are written for every platform at once. Freesat’s numbers are not the same as Freeview’s (BBC Three is 107 on Freesat and 23 on Freeview, for example), so check the table above rather than a printed number. For a quick look at one night, this page and the single-channel guides linked in the tables are the faster route.
Freesat vs Freeview vs Freely
| Service | How it arrives | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Freesat | Satellite | A dish and a Freesat box or TV |
| Freeview | Aerial | An aerial and a Freeview TV or box |
| Freely | Broadband | An internet connection, no dish or aerial |
Everyone TV runs Freeview, Freesat and Freely. Freely launched on 30 April 2024 and delivers live TV over the internet. Freely boxes so far are broadband-only, and there is no satellite Freely box yet.
Which has more channels depends on how you count, but the practical differences are specific. Freeview has the GREAT! channels and That’s TV, which Freesat does not. Freesat suits homes where an aerial gives a poor picture, since the dish ignores local transmitters. For a wider comparison that includes paid services, see Freeview vs Sky vs Virgin, and for aerial-side channel numbers see the Freeview channel guide. If you record a lot, our best Freeview recorders roundup covers the aerial route.
Is Freesat being phased out?
No closure has been announced. Freesat is still on sale, its channel list is maintained, and it is owned by the four main public service broadcasters through Everyone TV.
The question comes up because the service depends on satellite. Freesat uses the same satellites as Sky, and some reports say those satellites approach the end of their working lives around 2029. Sky extended its satellite capacity deal with SES in October 2024 to the end of 2029, and the BBC has told Ofcom that a Sky exit from satellite would challenge Freesat’s viability. These come from secondary reporting rather than a Freesat statement, so read them as risks, not decisions.
Freely is the other half of the picture. It is Everyone TV’s broadband route to live TV, and it is separate from Freesat. Some viewers assume it replaces Freesat. Nothing official says so, and there is no Freely satellite box.
Channel losses are real, though. The BBC closed its standard definition satellite channels in January 2024, and ITV’s SD channels closed through 2024; the main channels are still on the list at 101 to 105. On 20 October 2026 the BBC also announced that the BBC Three and BBC Scotland TV channels will close in spring 2027, on every platform, not just Freesat. Their programmes stay on BBC iPlayer.
Frequently asked questions
How many channels do you get on Freesat?
Freesat says it carries more than 100 channels, a figure that includes standard definition, HD, regional and radio services. The official list currently shows roughly 90 TV channels plus around 35 radio stations. The exact total moves as channels join and leave.
Can I watch Freesat without a satellite dish?
No. Freesat’s satellite channels need a dish with a clear view of the sky and a Freesat box or TV. An existing Sky dish can be reused. If you cannot fit a dish, Freely is a separate service that delivers live TV over broadband with no dish or aerial.
Has Channel 5 been removed from Freesat?
No. Channel 5 is on the official Freesat list at channel 105, next to BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1 and Channel 4 at 101 to 104. The main five channels are in HD at those numbers.
Why are channels disappearing from Freesat?
Each channel owner decides whether to keep paying for a satellite slot. The GREAT! channels left Freesat on 7 February 2024, and That’s TV is not on the official list now. The BBC and ITV also closed their standard definition satellite channels during 2024. Several of the channels that left are still on Freeview.
Is there a Freesat TV guide magazine?
There is no official printed Freesat guide. Freesat’s own listings are on screen, in its app and on its website, each covering about a week ahead. General listings magazines include Freesat channels, but none is published by Freesat.
Which Freeview channels are not on Freesat?
The four GREAT! channels (Movies, Action, Romance and TV) and That’s TV are on Freeview but not on Freesat. The GREAT! channels left Freesat on 7 February 2024, along with POP and Tiny Pop.
Is Freesat being phased out?
There has been no announcement that Freesat is closing. Its long-term future depends on satellite broadcasting continuing, and some reports point to the end of the current satellites’ working lives around 2029. For now it runs as normal, and the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 own it through Everyone TV.
What is replacing Freesat?
Nothing has been announced. Freely, launched in 2024 by Everyone TV, the same company that runs Freesat, streams live TV over broadband. It is a separate service rather than a stated replacement, and there is no Freely satellite box.
Do I need a TV licence for Freesat?
Yes, if you watch or record live TV on any channel, or use BBC iPlayer. Freesat has no subscription, but the licence rules are the same as for any other way of watching live TV in the UK.
Related: What’s on TV tonight · Freeview channel guide · Freeview vs Sky vs Virgin · Films on TV this week · Freeview Plus 1 channels · Sky Cinema TV guide
