Sky TV customers just got another streaming service thrown in for free

Sky has added yet another streaming service to its growing roster of free-to-access entertainment apps.

Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers in the UK and Ireland can now sign up for Discovery Plus – which usually costs £6.99 per month – as part of their monthly Sky subscription packages at no extra cost. 

The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned platform features a vast slate of documentaries, reality series, exclusive original productions and, most notably, coverage of live sports events including the Australian Open, the Tour de France and the Olympic Games. 

As of January 16, customers can access Discovery Plus via the Sky Apps rail, or by saying “Get Discovery Plus” to their Sky Glass TV or Sky Q/Sky Stream voice remote. Sky says customers who are already signed up to the 12-month Discovery Plus Entertainment pass “will be automatically upgraded” to give them access to the service on an ongoing basis.

The move to bundle Discovery Plus into premium Sky packages follows the striking of similar deals for Peacock and Paramount Plus in the UK. In November 2021, the former became available to all Sky customers at no extra cost, while the latter was added to Sky Cinema subscriptions on Sky Glass and Sky Q for free in August last year. 

The addition of Discovery Plus into Sky Q, Glass, and Stream packages, then, doesn’t come as much of a surprise, especially since Warner Bros. Discovery plans to merge HBO Max with Discovery Plus in the US sometime this summer (Sky Atlantic is, for all intents and purposes, the UK equivalent of HBO Max).  

An uncertain future

Interestingly, Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest four-year contract with Sky – which allows the latter to broadcast HBO-produced shows like Succession, House of the Dragon and The Last of Us – is due to expire in 2025, and it’s currently unclear whether the former will look to renew the pair’s long-standing partnership. 

If Warner Bros. Discovery does decide to end its relationship with Sky, it’ll likely look to launch its upcoming HBO Max/Discovery Plus super-streamer on this side of the pond. For now, though, Sky Q, Glass and Stream customers can enjoy the content offered by HBO Max, Discovery Plus, Peacock, and Paramount Plus at no extra cost. 

If you’re keen to upgrade your existing Sky entertainment package, or looking to become a new Sky customer, check out our roundup of the best Sky TV deals available now.