ITVX: what is ITV’s new streaming service, how can I watch it, what does it cost, and what happens to Britbox?

ITV is launching a new online streaming service called ITVX. The new platform, which is set to replace the ITV Hub, will offer access to favourites from the ITV archives, a library of US exclusives, and a new original premiere each week.

As ever with the launch of any new streaming service, it can be a little difficult to get your head around things – so we’ve put together a full breakdown of all the shows that’ll be available on ITVX, a technical guide on how to access the new service, information about costs and pricing, and an explanation as to what’s going to happen with Britbox.

Here’s everything you need to know about ITVX.

What is ITVX?

ITVX is a new online streaming service. It’s set to replace the ITV Hub, acting like an improved and expanded version of its predecessor – ITV have promised that ITVX is built around new technical architecture, offering a smoother user experience and a greater amount of content.

When is ITVX launching?

ITVX is launching on Thursday 8 December. You can find the website here, and you’re already able to take a look around at some of the archive content, but the launch begins in earnest on Thursday 8 December.

What shows will be available from launch?

ITVX is launching with four new shows immediately: espionage drama A Spy Among Friends, novel adaptation The Confessions of Frannie Langton, YA drama Tell Me Everything, and a feature-length finale to historical comedy Plebs.

In the coming weeks, there are set to be new drama premiers every week, with true crime drama Litvinenko, Vicky McClure thriller Without Sin, and the Succession-esque Riches all arriving across December 2022. You can also look forward to Stephen Fry’s nature documentary A Year on Planet Earth, and adrenaline-fueled reality series Loaded in Paradise. ITVX is also set to have a host of ITV archive content, as well as offering exclusive access to hit US shows – you can find a full list here.

In the latest episode of our Screen Babble podcast, we broke down everything you need to know about ITVX - you can listen to it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

What shows are coming soon?

ITVX will be home to a new series premiere each week, meaning it’ll feature more original content than any other UK-based streaming service.

Some of the major series to keep an eye out for include Nolly, Russell T Davies’ biopic of soap star Noele Gordon, romantic drama You & Me, Lenny Henry’s Windrush drama Three Little Birds, hit French series The Reunion, and crime drama Six Four.

ITVX will also see the immediate boxset release of ITV’s television dramas – so, for example, when political scandal biopic Stonehouse arrives on Monday 2 January, all three episodes of the series will be available on ITVX once the first episode has finished airing.

How can I watch ITVX?

You can find the ITVX website here, and explore the ITVX library via the web browser.

One interesting thing that ITVX is set to offer is curated channels, intended to mimic the experience of channel hopping or watching live television. (It’s called a “lean back experience”, i.e. you don’t have to make an active choice to watch something. That’s why this falls under “how can I watch ITVX”.)

There are going to be 20 themed channels at launch, including ‘Hell’s Kitchen US’, ‘True Crime’, ‘The Oxford Detectives’, ‘90s Favourites’ and ‘The Chase’, with plans to launch a new channel each week.

Which devices can I access ITVX on?

You can access ITVX through the ITVX app on a number of different devices. If you previously had the ITV Hub app, it should have automatically updated to the ITVX app on most devices – otherwise, you can access the app via an Amazon Fire TV stick, FreeView Play, and NOW TV, as well as via iOS and Android phones and tablets.

Samsung Smart TVs (from 2016 onwards), Roku TVs, Xboxes, Huawei devices, Chromecasts, and NOW TV smart sticks should all have updated to ITVX automatically. Samsung Smart TVs from prior to 2016 aren’t automatically compatible – you’ll need an external device, like an Amazon Fire Stick, to access ITVX.

You can access ITVX on a Sky Glass TV, though details are yet to be announced as to whether you’ll be able to get ITVX through a Sky Q box.

How much does ITVX cost?

ITVX is a blended SVOD and AVOD platform – that means that it combines Subscription Video on Demand (which you pay for) and Advertising Video on Demand (which you don’t). The model works a little bit like All4 – you can watch content with adverts for free, or pay a fee to watch things uninterrupted.

You can sign up to a week-long free trial here. After that, ITVX Premium costs either £5.99 a month, or £59.99 for a year (which is a saving of £11.89 compared to paying monthly for twelve months, in case you were wondering).

Paying for ITVX Premium allows you to watch without adverts (mostly – if you’re watching ITV television channels live through ITVX, you still get those adverts), gives you the option to download content to watch on the go, and gives you access to Britbox Exclusives too.

What is happening with Britbox?

If you sign up to ITVX Premium, you get access to Britbox as an add-on within ITVX Premium. You’ll have to access Britbox through ITVX – meaning that you can watch all those shows, but you wouldn’t be able to use your ITVX login on Britbox’s website.

If you’re an existing Britbox subscriber already, you still have access to Britbox – but you won’t be able to access it within ITVX Premium. You can still watch all your Britbox favourites, but you can’t watch them through the ITVX site. It’s all separate still.

If you’re subscribed to Britbox as a channel through Amazon Prime Video, you still have access to Britbox as usual – but again, only through Amazon Prime.

It’s previously been suggested that there were plans to fold Britbox into ITVX entirely, though that doesn’t appear to be the case in the near future.