Overview
- Channel 4 announced on Thursday, October 15, 2026, that it has secured free-to-air and E4 VoD rights to all 10 seasons of Friends with broadcasts set to begin in January 2027 while HBO Max keeps the show's UK streaming rights.
- The licensing agreement was handled by Warner Bros.'s sales arm following a redistribution of distribution responsibilities after Skydance-related corporate changes and moved the series away from Skydance UK network 5.
- Channel 4 framed the acquisition as a return of a long-running audience favourite and said the move will make the show available to UK viewers on linear TV and the Channel 4 player for the first time in more than a decade.
- The announcement comes as Channel 4 prepares leadership and commissioning changes, including the imminent start of programmes chief David Brindley and reported cuts to parts of the commissioning team, which the broadcaster says the acquisition will help steady by drawing broad audiences.
- Industry observers say the deal illustrates how post-acquisition sales restructures are reshaping where legacy TV catalogues appear and could push other legacy shows back toward free-to-air windows, boosting linear audiences and ad revenue potential.