My5 (previously Five Download and later Demand 5) is the brand name of video-on-demand services offered by Channel 5 in the United Kingdom. The service went live on 26 June 2008.[1] It is owned by Paramount Global and operated by their Paramount Networks UK & Australia division.

My5
Original author(s)Channel 5
Developer(s)Paramount Global
Operating system
TypeTelevision catch-up
Websitemy5.tv

As Five Download, the service offered downloads in Windows Media Video format of the US imports CSI, House and Grey's Anatomy. Individual episodes could be 'rented', with some episodes available seven days before they appeared on TV.

More varied content from Channel 5's programming has become available since June 2008, with a wider prevalence of free content offered for 30 days after broadcast. In January 2009, Demand 5 began to offer content in the Flash Video format, allowing users with Apple Macintosh computers to access their content.[2]

On November 1, 2023, Paramount announced that it would merge My5 with Pluto TV in the UK, with its full launch date set to be planned for the second half of 2024. These plans would be shelved with the announcement on 20 August 2024 that the service would instead be revamped and, along with Channel 5, would be rebranded as simply 5.[3][4]

Web platforms

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My5 website

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My5 is the main source of on-demand programmes from Viacom services like Channel 5, 5Star and Pluto TV.[5] It offers a seven-day catch-up service as well as an archive of past shows.[6][7]

YouTube

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My5 is also partly available on YouTube, launching in the United Kingdom on 4 December 2009.[8] My5's catch-up content reaches YouTube shortly after TV transmission and users are able to browse 250 hours of the broadcaster's archive content.

Television platforms

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BT Vision

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Demand 5 launched on BT Vision on 7 October 2008.[9] Demand 5 was removed from BT Vision on 6 October 2010,[10] although the two companies continued discussions in a bid to reinstate the service, having previously stalled during contract renegotiations.[11] The service returned to BT Vision in May 2011.

Freesat

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Demand 5 is available as part of Freesat's second generation Free Time guide, having been added on 6 August 2013, offering the last seven days of programming integrated to the TV guide.[12]

Roku

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On 26 July 2013, Now TV released a Now TV-branded Roku streaming box, including a Demand 5 app.[13] Three days after the release of the Now TV Box, Roku added Demand 5 to its own range of streaming devices.[14] The Roku service continued to operate in the Demand 5 format until December 2018, when it was upgraded to My5.

On 26 July 2012, it was announced that Demand 5 would be added to On Demand later in the year.[15] The service was made available on 26 September 2012.

Televisions and Blu-ray players

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In September 2009, an agreement was reached to make Demand 5 is available through Sony's Blu-ray Disc players, Blu-ray home cinema systems and Smart TVs, via the BRAVIA Internet Video service.[16]

On 13 May 2011, it was announced that Demand 5 would also be available on Samsung's Smart TVs through their Samsung Smart TV service.[17] On 16 January 2013 a Demand 5 app was launched and is available to download on Samsung Apps.[18]

As of 2020, the My5 app is also available on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Chromecast devices.

Virgin Media

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My5 is available on Virgin Media's cable television service, offering programmes for 7 days after broadcast since November 2010.[19]

In late 2019, it was confirmed that as part of a wider deal with ViacomCBS, the My5 app, along with the UK version of Pluto TV and subscription service MTV Play would be made available on Virgin Media.[20]

YouView

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My5 was one of four services available at the launch of YouView in July 2012. At launch the My5 app contained options to resume watching recent programmes, access favourites, browse featured programmes or a full list of shows, find similar programmes or more episodes and an integrated search bar.[21]

Game consoles

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PlayStation

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An application for Sony PlayStation 3 owners was made available on 9 April 2013, PlayStation 4 in November 2013, and PlayStation 5 in November 2020.[22]

From December 2018, the Demand 5 app was retired from all platforms and replaced by My5.[23]

Xbox

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On 5 October 2011, it was announced that My5 (Demand 5 at the time) would be made available on Xbox 360[24][25] and was later made available on Xbox One

As with the PS3 app, the Demand 5 Xbox app was retired in December 2018.[23]

Mobile platforms

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iOS devices

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A Big Brother Demand 5 app for the iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone launched on 19 August 2011, the app offered a 30-day catch-up service for Big Brother content. The app has been extended to incorporate catch-up content from Channel 5, 5* and 5USA, creating an overall Demand 5 app.[26] The app is compatible with iOS 10.0 or later.[27] Reviews of the app have been very poor due to, among other issues, that Demand 5 can only be used on Wifi networks, rather than 3G or 4G[28]

Android

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On 16 May 2013, Demand5 was launched on a range of Samsung Galaxy Android devices including smartphone and tablets.

Windows Phone

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On 25 November 2013, Demand5 was launched for mobile phone handsets running the Windows Phone 8 platform.[29]

Programming

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In addition to programming taken from Paramount Global services like BET and Pluto TV Drama, My5 used to act as the on-demand service for a number of other UK channels and programme content owners, like A+E Networks' Blaze, until Sept 30th 2021, when those agreements were voided and it became a service for content exclusive to PNUK&A networks.[30] BET[31][32] shows and specials are still available on My5 along with a number of classic MTV reality shows (such as Ex on the Beach[33] and Geordie Shore)[34] as My5 Exclusives, with the British BET International channel being streamed in the UK via Pluto TV.

Current live TV channels

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Additional My5 only programming

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In addition to the channels listed above, the service includes programmes from these channels/brands:

  • BET (until 2022, programmes listed in the BET section)[35][36]
  • MTV (certain programmes only until 2022, listed as My5 Exclusives)[33]
  • WWE[37]

My5 Exclusives

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Programmes include:

Former channels

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Content from a number of other channels was available until 30 September 2021:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Demand Five launches". Channel 5. 17 July 2008. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  2. ^ "Demand Five online streaming review". Macworld UK. 18 May 2009.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Paramount to Combine Pluto TV, Channel 5's My5 in U.K." The Hollywood Reporter. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  4. ^ Goldbart, Max (20 August 2024). "Channel 5 & Streamer My5 To Become … 5". Deadline. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  5. ^ "What is Demand 5?". Channel 5. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  6. ^ "What programmes are available and when?". Channel 5. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  7. ^ "ALL CHANNELS | Pluto TV | Watch Free TV". www.eu-landing.corp.pluto.tv. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Five agrees YouTube on-demand deal". Digital Spy. 4 December 2009.
  9. ^ "Channel Five signs BT Vision on-demand deal". The Guardian. 7 October 2008.
  10. ^ "Demand Five – GONE". BT Vision. 7 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 October 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  11. ^ "BT Vision adds iPlayer, Virgin takes Demand Five". 11 November 2010.
  12. ^ "Freesat adds Demand 5 catch-up content". Digital Spy. 6 August 2013.
  13. ^ "The NOW TV Box is here!". Now TV. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  14. ^ "Roku adds Channel 5, Toon Googles". Digital TV Europe. 29 July 2013.
  15. ^ "Channel 5's on-demand service to launch on Sky". Digital Spy. 26 July 2012.
  16. ^ "Five signs agreement with Sony for new internet TV Platform". Channel 5. 3 September 2009. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  17. ^ "Channel 5 agrees Samsung VOD tie-up". Digital Spy. 13 May 2011.
  18. ^ "Demand 5 Samsung Smart TV App Details". Samsung UK. 16 January 2013.
  19. ^ "Catch-up with Demand Five on Virgin Media". 11 November 2010. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  20. ^ Choose.co.uk, 2019-10-09
  21. ^ "Humax YouView DTR-T1000 review". Expert Reviews. 24 July 2012.
  22. ^ Demand 5 brings your favourite shows to PS4 Archived 21 January 2015 at archive.today, Channel 5, November 2013.
  23. ^ a b "Demand 5 is now closed – Help centre". help.channel5.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019.
  24. ^ "Xbox 360 Teams Up With Entertainment Leaders to Transform TV". Microsoft. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  25. ^ "Xbox 360 to launch new TV and film services". The Daily Telegraph. 7 October 2011.
  26. ^ "Channel 5 launches Big Brother Apple apps". New Media Age. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  27. ^ "Demand 5 By Channel Five". Apple.com. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  28. ^ "Demand 5 – Apple App Store". iTunes. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  29. ^ "Demand 5 app for Windows Phone 8 lets you watch your favorite shows from Channel 5 (UK) | Windows Phone Central". www.wpcentral.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013.
  30. ^ "Important Changes to Our Service".
  31. ^ a b "Unknown".[permanent dead link]
  32. ^ "My5 - Being Mary Jane".
  33. ^ a b "My5 - Ex on the Beach".
  34. ^ "My5 - Geordie Shore".
  35. ^ "My5 - Tyler Perry's The Oval".
  36. ^ "My5- Tyler Perry's Assisted Living".
  37. ^ "Unknown".[permanent dead link]
  38. ^ "My5 - Hapless".
  39. ^ "My5 - The Arrangement".
  40. ^ "My5 - Seven Types of Ambiguity".
  41. ^ "My5 - World without End".
  42. ^ "My5 - The Royals".
  43. ^ "My5 gets CBS Reality and Horror Channel content in AMC deal". October 2020.
  44. ^ "My5 - Smithsonian Channel".[permanent dead link]
  45. ^ "Discover Film". Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
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