SKY customers can unlock a whole bunch of extra channels on their TV via a little-known app.
And it includes content from big names including Sky Sports.
A number of Sky Sports channels are available on the platform[/caption]
There’s more than 75 bonus channels available from Xumo, an app run by Sky‘s owner Comcast and partner Charter.
The service features streamed channels and is accessible on Sky Glass and Sky Stream currently.
Among the newest channels is Pick Monkey Rescue, which shows episodes of the Monkey Life series, set in the Monkey World rescue and rehabilitation facility in Dorset.
Channels for sports lovers include Sky Sports Classics where football fans can re-watch some of the biggest matches of our time.
There’s also Sky Sports Stories and Sky Sports Vault.
For music fans, you can access a range of extra channels such as Qello Concerts by Stingray with concerts from household names.
And there’s a selection dedicated to classic shows too.
Among them is Xena: Warrior Princess with back-to-back episodes of the iconic 90s fantasy series.
Xumo also hosts a small selection of lesser-known movies available to watch on demand.
Sky introduced Xumo during the summer last year.
It’s expected to arrive on Sky Q boxes at some point in the future.
And some channels will be integrated into the TV guide.
Virgin Media has already started doing this with some streamed channels it provides access to.
Bosses recently announced that as many as 50 so-called FAST – free ad-supported TV – channels could land on boxes in the future.
The move comes after a number of big channel closures in the past 12 months, such as The Box, London Live and more recently Eurosport.
Get more quality TV for free
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Reporter
If you’re tired of paying out on several streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ then there are a growing number of free alternatives around.
While many of these alternatives have been filled with obscure content, more big names like Sky have got on board in recent years offering some quality stuff, which is largely archive but still entertaining.
As well as UKTV, Sony and Channel 5 are among the other players getting involved.
If you haven’t already, give Pluto TV a go, it’s available on pretty much all devices including Fire TV Sticks.
On there you’ll find channels from MTV, with Catfish and Geordie Shore.
Some of the classics are real gems too – I found myself watching long-forgotten episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch the other day.
