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While the influencers of the world are spending lockdown working out, writing novels, learning how to play the piano and perfecting their French speaking skills, we’re spending it in front of the TV. There’s something about a pandemic that makes us want to do nothing but binge on a good old box set. And that’s TOTALLY okay.
The only sticking point? We’ve pretty much watched all there is to watch on Netflix. From Tiger King to The Stranger and Ozark, we’ve devoured it all. A new venture is needed, and that venture comes in the shape of NOW TV.
What is NOW TV?
NOW TV is Sky’s on-demand streaming service. It allows you to watch a whole host of Sky channels and shows without being a Sky member. And depending on the entertainment pass you choose, it can actually work out a lot cheaper than signing up to Sky outright. There’s also a whole load of other great content on NOW TV to devour.
NOW TV is our go-to for all things HBO – the USA’s original TV network. We’re talking Big Little Lies, True Detective and more. It’s also great for American reality TV (read: Keeping Up With the Kardashians) and classics like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos and Deadwood. In short? Well worth signing up to ahead of Easter weekend if you’re after something different to watch.
How much does NOW TV cost?
The cost of NOW TV depends on the pass which you buy. Some are more expensive than others, but the biggest benefit to selecting a pass is that you only pay for what you’ll *actually* watch. Here’s the lowdown…
The Entertainment Pass costs £7.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial available for all first-time subscribers. It gives you access to 12 live channels and 300 TV series boxsets.
The Sky Cinema Pass costs £11.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial available for all first-time subscribers. You will have access to all 11 Sky Cinema channels, and over 1000 movies on demand.
The Sky Sports Pass costs 33.99 per month, £14.99 for seven days, or £8.99 for a one-day pass. It gives you access to all 11 Sky Sports Channels.
The NOW TV Kids Pass costs £3.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial available for all first-time subscribers. Users get 6 channels, plus thousands of episodes on demand.
The hayu Month Pass costs £3.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial available for all first-time subscribers. Users get over 250 box sets of top reality TV shows, added the same day as the US premiere.
What channels are included with NOW TV?
NOW TV’s Entertainment Pass allows viewers to watch the following channels live:
- Sky Atlantic
- Sky 1
- Sky Living
- Sky Arts
- Fox
- Gold
- ITV Encore
- Comedy Central
- ABC studios
- MTV
- Discovery Channel
- Nat Geo Wild
Is NOW TV different to Sky Boxsets?
In short, yes. NOW TV is different to Sky Boxsets entirely. The main difference is that you don’t actually have to be a Sky TV subscriber to use NOW TV, which gives you access to a whole host of Sky channels and shows from just £3.99 per month. Depending on the package you choose, NOW TV can actually work out quite a lot cheaper than Sky TV.
How do I watch NOW TV?
To watch NOW TV, you first need to sign up. Go to the website and create an account. You’ll just need to select the passes you’d like to subscribe to.
You can then watch NOW TV on your desktop, smartphone or tablet. All you need to do is download the app or sign into your account on your normal web browser, and you’re away!
To watch NOW TV on your television, you can purchase a NOW TV Smart Stick here for £24.99 and insert it into the HDMI port on your TV. The device must be connected to your WiFi, and it will then allow you to stream NOW TV – as well as BBC iPlayer, All4, ITV Hub and Netflix – via your TV.
You can also get a NOW TV Smart Box for £45.99. It does the same as the Smart Stick but offers 4K viewing and voice search in addition.
If you don’t want to buy a smart stick, You can watch NOW TV on your smartphone via the NOW TV app on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. You can also download the app and watch the service on your laptop or Mac.
What are the best shows on NOW TV?
There is so much great content to get your teeth stuck into on NOW TV. We’ll be making a beeline straight for Chernobyl, first a foremost – a harrowing re-telling of the 1986 disaster which saw a Ukranian city destroyed by an incident at a nuclear power plant. Featuring Emily Watson and Jessie Buckley, the recreation is extremely intense and horrifying but absolutely worth the watch.
Next, we’ll be on to Big Little Lies ‘cos, well, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep. POWER CAST. It’s based on the dark novel which goes by the same name which tells the story of three mothers who become embroiled in murder and domestic violence. So, so good.
If you’re looking for some easy and breezy to watch that requires next to no thinking, Rob Brydon’s fine dining sitcom., The Trip to Greece, is welcome light relief from the scary AF world we’re living in. It has acquired quite the fan base, for good reason, and is sure to have you in stitches. On the topic of Rob Brydon, Gavin & Stacey is also available on NOW TV. On the reality end of the spectrum, there’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians (no explanation needed) and Project Runway.
