Great! TV
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA British free-to-air television channel carrying drama, comedy, films, factual entertainment and acquired programming.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Great! TV is a British television channel serving the United Kingdom. The service originated as Sony Entertainment Television, which launched on 7 April 2011 after Sony Pictures Television secured UK distribution capacity and developed a broader British presence through platform agreements and electronic programme guide acquisitions. The original channel was positioned largely toward adult viewers, particularly women aged approximately 25 to 54, and combined American scripted series, British drama, comedy, films and factual or paranormal programming. Before the linear channel launched, Sony had begun placing programming in the UK through an on-demand agreement with BT Vision in March 2010. The company subsequently acquired a Sky electronic programme guide slot formerly associated with Film 24 in November 2010. A one-hour time-shift service was also prepared using a separate Sky slot. Sony Entertainment Television became available on additional platforms during its first years, including TalkTalk TV and Virgin Media, while its time-shift service changed electronic programme guide positions on Sky. The channel's programming during its first incarnation included Sony Pictures films such as The Da Vinci Code, All the King's Men, Marie Antoinette and Philadelphia, as well as series including Hawthorne, Huff, 'Til Death, Hustle, Hotel Babylon, Las Vegas, Crossing Jordan, Dawson's Creek, My Boys and NewsRadio. It also carried UK premieres and acquired rights for programmes such as Hot in Cleveland, The Night Shift, Saving Hope, Younger, Satisfaction and Orange Is the New Black. British titles including Spooks, Holby City, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Ashes to Ashes and Life on Mars helped broaden its schedule beyond US acquisitions. Sony Entertainment Television was renamed Sony Channel on 12 January 2016. That first Sony Channel service closed on 6 February 2018 and was replaced on key platforms by Sony Crime Channel. The brand returned on 10 September 2019, replacing True Entertainment across Freeview, Sky, Freesat and Virgin Media. The relaunched channel retained part of True Entertainment's programming while adding further content associated with Sony's library. Narrative Capital acquired Sony Pictures Television's UK portfolio in May 2021. Following the transaction, the four Sony-branded UK free-to-air channels were moved into Narrative's Great! branding, and Sony Channel became Great! TV on 25 May 2021. The channel consequently became part of a wider family of Great!-branded services operated by Narrative Entertainment UK Limited. Distribution was later expanded on Freeview when Great! TV moved from a local television multiplex to the COM6 multiplex on 21 June 2023, increasing availability in more UK areas. On 20 November 2024, the Great! TV +1 service on Freeview channel 63 was replaced by the Great! Player streaming service. The channel remains an active UK television service, with its schedule centered on acquired entertainment programming rather than original production.
History
Great! TV began as Sony Entertainment Television, the UK entertainment channel launched by Sony Pictures Television on 7 April 2011. Sony's UK expansion had started earlier through a deal with BT Vision that made Sony programming available on demand from March 2010. In November 2010, Sony acquired a Sky electronic programme guide position formerly used by Film 24. A separate one-hour time-shift channel was prepared through another acquired Sky slot, allowing the service to offer both its main schedule and delayed programming. The channel expanded its platform presence after launch. It appeared on TalkTalk TV during the early YouView period and was added to Virgin Media in December 2011. The time-shift service changed Sky positions during 2012. These distribution arrangements established the channel as a multi-platform UK service rather than a satellite-only operation. Sony Entertainment Television's initial schedule combined US television, British acquisitions, films and factual entertainment. Its intended audience was primarily adult women aged 25 to 54, although the programming mix was broad. Scripted imports included Hawthorne, Huff, 'Til Death, the final season of Las Vegas, Crossing Jordan, Dawson's Creek, My Boys and NewsRadio. British series such as Hustle and Hotel Babylon were also shown, alongside films from Sony Pictures Entertainment. Later acquisitions included Hot in Cleveland, Community, The Night Shift, Saving Hope, Younger, Satisfaction and Orange Is the New Black. The channel also aired British titles including Holby City, Spooks, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Ashes to Ashes and Life on Mars, as well as paranormal and factual programmes such as Ghost Hunters and Celebrity Ghost Stories. On 12 January 2016, the channel was renamed Sony Channel. That iteration ended on 6 February 2018, when Sony Crime Channel replaced it on Sky and Virgin Media. The Sony Channel identity returned on 10 September 2019, this time replacing True Entertainment across major UK platforms. The relaunch retained selected True Entertainment content while adding more programming from Sony's catalogue. A major ownership and branding change followed Narrative Capital's acquisition of Sony Pictures Television's UK portfolio on 14 May 2021. The UK Sony free-to-air channels adopted Great! branding on 25 May, converting Sony Channel into Great! TV. The service therefore became part of Narrative Entertainment UK Limited's portfolio of Great!-branded channels. Distribution was strengthened in 2023 when Great! TV moved on Freeview from a local television multiplex to the COM6 multiplex. In November 2024, the Freeview Great! TV +1 service was replaced by Great! Player, reflecting a move toward on-demand and streaming access alongside the linear channel.
- 2024
Great! Player replaces Great! TV +1 on Freeview
[1]The time-shift service was replaced by Great! Player on Freeview channel 63 on 20 November.
- 2023
Freeview multiplex move
[1]Great! TV moved to the COM6 multiplex on 21 June, making it available in more Freeview areas.
- 2021
Great! TV branding begins
[1]Following Narrative Capital's acquisition of Sony's UK channel portfolio, Sony Channel became Great! TV on 25 May.
- 2019
Sony Channel relaunches
[1]Sony Channel returned on 10 September, replacing True Entertainment on the principal UK television platforms.
- 2018
First Sony Channel service closes
[1]The service closed on 6 February and was replaced by Sony Crime Channel.
- 2016
Sony Entertainment Television becomes Sony Channel
[1]The channel adopted the Sony Channel name on 12 January.
- 2011
Sony Entertainment Television launches
[1]The channel launched in the United Kingdom on 7 April, with a principal service and a one-hour time-shift version.
- 2010
Sony programming reaches BT Vision
[1]Sony Pictures Television agreed to provide programming on demand through BT Vision, establishing an early UK distribution presence before the linear channel launch.
Products and positioning
A broad entertainment channel combining accessible acquired drama, comedy, films, factual programming and library content for a mass UK free-to-air audience.
Free-to-air television channel · 2011
Great! TV
The main UK linear channel, offering a broad schedule of acquired drama, comedy, films, factual entertainment and library programming. Its history includes programming from Sony Pictures Television and content inherited from True Entertainment after the 2019 relaunch.
Television channel brand · 2016
Sony Channel
The name used for the channel from 2016 and again from its 2019 relaunch until the transition to Great! TV branding in May 2021.
Time-shift television channel · 2011
Great! TV +1
A delayed version of the main channel's schedule. The Freeview service was discontinued on 20 November 2024 and replaced by Great! Player.
Streaming video service · 2024
Great! Player
An on-demand streaming service that replaced Great! TV +1 on Freeview channel 63 in November 2024, extending the brand beyond a traditional time-shift channel.
Brand decisions
2024
Replace the Freeview time-shift service with streamingStrategyBackground
The Great! TV +1 service occupied Freeview channel 63 as a delayed linear version of the main channel.
Action taken
On 20 November 2024, Great! TV +1 was replaced by the Great! Player streaming service.
Aftermath
The change shifted part of the brand's distribution from scheduled time-shift television toward on-demand viewing.
2023
Move to the Freeview COM6 multiplexStrategyBackground
Great! TV had been carried on a local television multiplex with more limited geographic reach.
Action taken
The channel moved to the COM6 multiplex on 21 June 2023.
Aftermath
The move increased the channel's availability in additional UK Freeview areas.
2021
Transition to Great! branding after Sony portfolio acquisitionM&ABackground
Narrative Capital acquired Sony Pictures Television's full UK channel portfolio in May 2021.
Action taken
The UK Sony-branded free-to-air channels were renamed under the Great! brand, with Sony Channel becoming Great! TV on 25 May 2021.
Aftermath
Great! TV became part of Narrative Entertainment UK Limited's wider portfolio of UK entertainment channels.
Recent events
Reported
upGrad becomes presenting sponsor of Shark Tank India[3]
upGrad announced a partnership with Sony Entertainment Television as presenting sponsor of the first edition of Shark Tank India and co-presenting sponsor of the show on SonyLIV.
Reported
KBC 13 secures sponsors[4]
Sony Entertainment Television announced that BYJU’S and Cadbury Dairy Milk would be co-presenting sponsors of KBC 13, with Hyundai Motor India, Asian Paints Royale Glitz, Ultratech Cement, Zydus Wellness (Complan), CERA, Pharmeasy, IDFC First Bank, LIC of India and Bharat Matrimony also joining as sponsors.
Reported
Sony Entertainment Television acquires India’s Got Talent telecast rights[5]
Sony Entertainment Television acquired the Indian telecast rights to India’s Got Talent from Fremantle and said it was preparing a new season.
Sources5 sources
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