UKTV announces ‘U’ as masterbrand for its channels and streaming
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John Moulding
| 29 November 2023
2 UKTV announces U as masterbrand for its channels and streaming
UKTV is creating a new masterbrand that will unite its family of free-to-air channels and its free streaming service, and the brand is ‘U’. There is a summer 2024 launch, when UKTV Play will become U and channels will include U&Dave and U&DRAMA.

UKTV’s other channels will then be named U&YESTERDAY and U&W. Today its channel brands are Dave, Drama, Yesterday, W, Gold, Alibi and Eden. UKTV is part of BBC Studios and its content is distributed in the UK via UKTV Play (its streaming service), Freeview, Sky, Now, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, Samsung TV, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire.

Penny Brough, UKTV’s Chief Marketing Officer, says: “For 30 years, UKTV has had shows that people are passionate about - crime, drama, witty comedy and more - but until now it’s felt disconnected. We want to make sure our audiences can enjoy the full value of our free and diverse offer, so we’re making it easier for them to navigate.

“U is the glue that enables us to do this: it means we go to market with a bold, simple and distinctive identity for our streaming service. U makes it easy for people to connect the dots between the streaming service and our family of TV channels – all while keeping hold of each channel’s unique personality and fame. This is now a family that’s fit for a digital future. It’s simple, but still full of personality because it’s all about U.”

The U streaming service, created in partnership with global brand consultancy Wolff Olins, will become home to thousands of hours of free content from a raft of genres, including: drama (‘Annika’, ‘Holby City’, ‘Madam Secretary’, ‘Sister Boniface Mysteries’, ‘A Million Little Things’), and comedy (‘Meet the Richardsons’, ‘Red Dwarf’, ‘Live at the Apollo’, ‘Mock the Week’, ‘We Are Not Alone’).

Top entertainment shows also feature (e.g., ‘Big Zuu’s Big Eats’, ‘David Mitchell’s Outsiders’, ‘QI’, ‘Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable’, ‘World’s Most Dangerous Roads’), plus factual entertainment (‘Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over’, ‘Masterchef Australia’, ‘Katie Piper: Jailhouse Mums’, ‘Secrets of the London Underground’, ‘Bangers & Cash’).

UKTV says U will also give viewers access to exclusive shows, award-winning originals, premiere acquisitions and iconic programmes from the BBC.

David Stevens, Executive Strategy Director at Wolff Olins, comments: “The entertainment market is so awash with confusing and bizarrely named offers, so we wanted to strip back, reduce the noise and present this family of brands in a clear, crisp, singular way. The new ‘U’ name is a nod to UKTV’s heritage, while emphasising that this new viewing experience is all about you.

“We’re excited about creating a bold brand that will stand out but won’t get in the way. We wanted to unite an eclectic portfolio, but hold onto the personality, and help you to lose yourself in what you love.”

UKTV highlights its ambitious growth strategy, focussed on supercharging its streaming service and growing its linear channels. “A key driver of this is connecting and better leveraging the brands within our estate,” the broadcaster says. “The launch of this new masterbrand supports this strategy by making it easier for users to navigate both online and on-air, as well as creating a halo effect in brand marketing across the portfolio and ultimately building equity into a more unified family of brands.”

UKTV Play has grown views by 69% since the start of the year (Jan-Aug). FAST channels will debut on the service in 2024.