UK’s Channel 4 Will Broadcast Star Trek: Discovery on Freeview

CBS and Channel 4’s E4 team up to show Star Trek: Discovery

UK broadcast television channel Channel 4 has made a deal with CBS Studios International to show Star Trek: Discovery, making it the first free-to-view terrestrial broadcast of the series, ever. Discovery will air on Channel 4’s digital freeview channel E4, beginning in 2020. 

Channel 4 already broadcasts other flagship CBS shows, including The Good Fight and Charmed. The deal for Star Trek: Discovery was bundled with Friends star Matt LeBlanc’s new comedy, Man with a Plan. Barry Chamberlain, President of Sales for CBS Studios International, said of the deal, “This agreement features the best of both worlds – premium subscription content from a global franchise and a very popular network comedy from America’s Most-Watched Network. Channel 4 is already a licensee for several of our top-rated franchises, [...] and we are confident they will have continued success with STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and MAN WITH A PLAN.”

Sadly the deal for Discovery does not mean first-run episodes will be free to watch in the UK. According to a piece by Comicbook.com, which I will note is owned by CBS, “Star Trek: Discovery [is on] CBS All Access in the United States and on Netflix in the United Kingdom and most other international markets. Netflix will maintain the right to debut new episodes of Star Trek: Discovery while Channel 4 will begin airing the show with its first season.”

Once again, Star Trek: Discovery is set to air on E4 - from the beginning - sometime in 2020.