ITVX: The Best Shows to Watch in 2026 and How the Free and Premium Tiers Compare

ITVX is the UK''s most-watched free streaming service after BBC iPlayer, and the 2026 lineup pulls together a confident mix of brand new originals, returning ratings winners like Love Island UK, and decades of ITV archive that quietly rivals what some paid platforms charge for. The headline reason to care in 2026 is simple. The free tier is genuinely free, ad-supported, no card required, and it covers live ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and ITVBe alongside a deep on-demand library. The optional Premium upgrade strips the ads and folds in the BritBox archive for a flat monthly or annual fee.

If you are weighing ITVX against BBC iPlayer or Channel 4, or trying to figure out whether the Premium tier is worth the money, this guide walks through what the service actually is, what is new in 2026, which classic shows are sitting in the catalogue, which devices are supported, and what your realistic options are if you are travelling or based outside the UK.

What ITVX actually is

ITVX is the free, ad-supported streaming service owned and operated by ITV, the UK''s largest commercial public service broadcaster. It launched in late 2022 as the replacement for ITV Hub, and it is now positioned as a direct rival to BBC iPlayer and Channel 4''s online service. The free experience covers live streams of every ITV channel, full catch-up for current and recent series, a substantial archive of older ITV drama and entertainment, a set of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels for lean-back viewing, and a layer of ITVX originals that premiere on the platform before they reach broadcast.

To use the free tier you only need to create an account with a valid email address, a date of birth, and a UK postcode. There is no payment step. Adverts run before and during programmes, in line with how ITV monetises its main channels, and they are usually shorter and less frequent than what you would see on a linear ITV broadcast.

One important 2025 to 2026 development is the content swap between ITV and Disney. A selection of Disney titles, including Andor and the Lilo and Stitch animated series, sits inside ITVX, while ITV dramas like Endeavour and the panel show The 1% Club appear on Disney+. That deal makes the free ITVX library noticeably broader than it was a year ago, particularly for households that are not already paying for Disney+.

ITVX Premium: what the paid tier actually adds

ITVX Premium is the optional subscription that turns off advertising on the on-demand library and unlocks the full BritBox archive of classic UK shows. As of 2026 it costs 5.99 GBP per month, or 59.99 GBP per year if you pay annually, which works out at roughly 5.00 GBP per month for the yearly commitment. There is usually a free trial for new subscribers, although the length and terms are worth confirming on the sign-up page.

The ad-free claim does come with a couple of asterisks worth knowing about. ITVX Premium removes ads from most on-demand shows and films, but live channels still play with ads, and ITV is contractually required to keep a small number of in-house promos on certain programmes. Premium also unlocks downloads on mobile so you can save episodes to watch offline on a phone or tablet, which is a useful perk for commutes and flights.

If you already have Amazon Prime Video, ITVX Premium is now available as a Prime Video channel at the same 5.99 GBP per month. The Prime Video route is convenient if you prefer one app for everything, but the BritBox library is not included via that path, so it is the slightly lighter version of the subscription.

Whether Premium is worth the spend depends on how much you actually use the service. Households that watch a lot of ITV drama and would otherwise be paying for BritBox separately tend to get clear value out of the yearly plan. Lighter users can usually live happily on the free tier and accept the ads.

Top dramas and originals on ITVX in 2026

2026 is shaping up as a strong year for ITV drama, with several high-profile titles either premiering on ITVX or available in full as catch-up. The standouts to surface on your home screen include the following.

• After the Flood. The Sophie Rundle led mystery thriller is on its third season in 2026 and continues to be one of the most in-demand titles on the platform. Earlier series stream in full on ITVX so newcomers can catch up cleanly.
• Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The four-part 2024 drama starring Toby Jones is still one of the most watched ITV dramas ever, and it sits in the ITVX library alongside two follow-up documentaries.
• The Lady. A 2026 ITVX original that has done well with critics and audiences in the first half of the year.
• Secret Service. Another 2026 ITV drama that joined the platform recently and is being heavily promoted on the front page.
• Shardlake. The Tudor-set mystery with Sean Bean and Anthony Boyle, based on C J Sansom''s novels, is available to stream in full.
• Broadchurch. All three seasons of the David Tennant and Olivia Colman crime drama remain on the platform and are still one of the most consistent recommendations for anyone new to British TV.
• Sanditon. The Jane Austen period drama is available as a full boxset across its three seasons.

ITV''s 2026 content brochure also flags Shaun Evans, best known from the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour, as a returning face in new drama, and the broadcaster has signalled an unusually large slate of originals over the next twelve months.

Love Island UK on ITVX

Love Island UK is the single biggest reason ITVX picks up new sign-ups every summer, and Series 13 launched on June 1, 2026, with Maya Jama returning as host. Episodes drop Sunday through Friday at 9:00 PM BST on ITV2 and ITVX, with no episode on Saturdays, and the companion show Love Island: Aftersun in the Sunday 10:00 PM BST slot.

The full series is free to stream on ITVX in the UK, with episodes available live and as catch-up shortly after broadcast. Past seasons are also on the platform, which is handy if you want to start with an earlier vintage or rewatch a famous villa. Outside the UK, Love Island UK Series 13 streams on Hulu and Disney+ in the US starting June 4, 2026, on 9Now in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand, again with a short delay on the linear feed.

Beyond the main series, ITVX hosts the Love Island spin-offs including Love Island: All Stars and Love Island Games, which makes it the most complete home for the franchise anywhere.

Classic ITV content and the archive

ITVX''s archive is the part of the service that is easy to underestimate. Once you start digging past the new releases you find decades of ITV drama, comedy and entertainment that you would otherwise have to chase across DVDs or other streaming platforms.

Highlights include the full run of Inspector Morse with John Thaw, the complete Mr Bean television series and animated spin-offs, the original run of Cracker with Robbie Coltrane, the David Suchet Poirot adaptations, the long-running Vera with Brenda Blethyn, the Endeavour prequel with Shaun Evans, the Foyle''s War wartime mysteries, and the classic ITV sitcom catalogue. The Premium tier widens this further by unlocking BritBox titles such as Spitting Image, Cold Feet, The Sweeney, and a deep set of period and crime dramas that BritBox curates for its UK and international subscribers.

If you have a parent or older relative who has been resistant to streaming because they miss the old ITV schedule, the archive is the strongest pitch ITVX has. It is also why the Premium tier holds up surprisingly well as a long-term subscription, since you are paying for permanent access to library content rather than just the latest hit.

Supported devices and apps

ITVX is available across almost every modern television and streaming device sold in the UK. The free tier and Premium use the same apps, so any device that supports ITVX also supports the subscription if you decide to upgrade. The supported list includes Samsung and LG smart TVs from recent model years, Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku streaming sticks, Apple TV running tvOS 18 or later, Android TV and Google TV including Chromecast with Google TV, iOS and Android phones and tablets, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and integrated platforms including Sky Q, Sky Glass, Virgin Media set-top boxes, YouView, Freesat, Freeview Play, and the new Freely live TV platform.

A standard ITVX account supports profiles, which is useful for households that want separate watchlists or want to keep children on age-appropriate content. There is also a kids profile mode that filters the catalogue to family-friendly titles.

How to watch ITVX outside the UK

ITVX is geo-restricted to the United Kingdom. The service checks your IP address when you visit the site or open the app, and traffic from any non-UK country is blocked. There are two realistic ways to get around that, and one that is more honest about what ITV actually offers internationally.

The first option is a UK-based VPN. Travellers who already have an ITVX account and a paid VPN subscription can connect to a UK server, sign in as usual, and access the same library they would see at home. NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN are the names that come up most often in reviews for this use case because their UK servers tend to keep working reliably with ITVX.

The second option, and the one ITV actually supports for international viewers, is BritBox. BritBox is the joint BBC and ITV streaming service for the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and parts of the Nordics, and it carries a large slice of the ITVX archive plus first-run access to many ITV dramas after their UK premiere. If you are based in one of those countries permanently, BritBox is the cleaner solution because it does not rely on a VPN that might break at any time.

For specific titles like Love Island UK, the licensed international routes are the better choice. Hulu and Disney+ carry the current series in the US, 9Now in Australia, and TVNZ+ in New Zealand. Those routes deliver the show legitimately within a day of the UK broadcast.

Frequently asked questions

Is ITVX free

Yes. The standard ITVX service is free with ads. You create an account with an email address, date of birth and UK postcode, and then watch live ITV channels and the on-demand library at no cost. The optional Premium tier removes most ads and adds BritBox content for 5.99 GBP per month or 59.99 GBP per year.

What is ITVX Premium

ITVX Premium is the paid upgrade to ITVX. It strips ads from the on-demand library, unlocks the BritBox archive of classic British shows, and lets you download episodes for offline viewing on mobile. Live TV still plays with ads, and a small number of in-house ITV promos may still appear on Premium for contractual reasons.

Can I watch ITVX outside the UK

Not directly. ITVX is geo-restricted to the United Kingdom and blocks non-UK IP addresses. Travellers can use a reputable UK VPN to access their existing account from abroad. Permanent residents of the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa or the Nordic region usually have a better option in BritBox, which carries a large share of the ITV catalogue legitimately.

What shows are on ITVX

ITVX carries every current ITV drama and entertainment series, the live feeds for ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and ITVBe, the full Love Island UK franchise, ITVX originals such as After the Flood and The Lady, archive favourites including Inspector Morse, Vera, Mr Bean, Cracker, Poirot, Foyle''s War and Broadchurch, and a selection of Disney titles such as Andor and the Lilo and Stitch series under the ITV and Disney content sharing deal.

How do I watch Love Island on ITVX

Sign in to ITVX on your TV, phone, tablet or browser, search for Love Island, and pick the current series. Episodes go live at 9:00 PM BST Sunday through Friday during the run, with Aftersun in the Sunday 10:00 PM BST slot.

What is the difference between ITV and ITVX

ITV is the broadcaster, the company that runs the linear channels and commissions the content. ITVX is the streaming service that ITV operates. ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and ITVBe are linear channels that you can also watch live inside ITVX. ITVX adds catch-up, originals, FAST channels and an archive layer on top, plus the optional Premium subscription with BritBox.

What to watch next on ITVX

• Mr Bates vs The Post Office, 4 episodes. The most watched ITV drama of the last several years and a tight, controlled retelling of the Horizon scandal.
• Broadchurch, 24 episodes across 3 seasons. A complete, watchable boxset and a benchmark for British crime drama.
• Vera, more than 50 feature-length episodes across 13 seasons. Comforting, slow-burn crime with Brenda Blethyn as the title character.
• Shardlake, 4 episodes. A short Tudor mystery that works as a weekend watch.
• After the Flood, 18 episodes across 3 seasons. A modern thriller that has done some of the strongest streaming numbers on the platform.

For more streaming guides, browse our blog, or use The Movies Finder to find your next watch.