Broadcaster UKTV is set to undergo a major rebranding next week resulting in changes to a number of popular TV channels.

UKTV is responsible for free-to-air channels including Dave, Yesterday and Gold and covers a wide range of genres - everything from comedy to natural history.

UK viewers can access these channels via a range of services including Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW and Freesat.

It also has its own free streaming service where viewers can watch programmes including Louis Theroux Interviews, Sons of Anarchy, Taskmaster and MasterChef Australia.

UKTV to undergo rebrand resulting in change to channels on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media

UKTV has announced it will launch a new "masterbrand" in the UK next week - on July 16 - which will include the renaming of several of its channels.

As of next Tuesday (July 16) the broadcasters free-to-air channels will become:

  • U&Dave
  • U&DRAMA
  • U&YESTERDAY
  • U&W

While its free streaming service will transition from UKTV Play to U.

More than 1500 hours of new content will also be added to UKTV's streaming service as part of the launch.

UKTV Chief Marketing Officer, Penny Brough, said: "The launch of U on 16th July is an important step for UKTV, defining our age of transformation.

"U will present our viewers with an extraordinary range of free quality content, allowing them to connect the dots between the streaming service and our family of TV channels."

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UKTV Chief Digital Officer, Andrea Amey, added: "U will be home to almost 8,500 hours of free content, comprising new programming, exclusive shows, award-winning originals and premiere acquisitions.

"We can't wait to give our viewers even more choice and a service that is easy to navigate, so they can enjoy our free and varied offering."

These changes come after UKTV launched four Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee and Pluto TV last year, marking the broadcaster's debut in the FAST market.

These channels also launched on Virgin earlier this year.

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As part of the new masterbrand, UKTV's FAST channels will be rebranded with:

  • UKTV Play Heroes becoming U&Real Heroes
  • UKTV Play Laughs will move to U&Laughs
  • UKTV Play Full Throttle will transition to U&Transport
  • UKTV Play Uncovered will be known as U&The Past

For more information or to access the U streaming service, visit the new website (a link to which can be found above).