Reaching for the Sky? Amazon takes on the live telly giants with Amazon Channels

It’s easy enough to live on a diet of Netflix and Amazon Prime streaming these days – but now the latter has added some tasty plates of live TV to its UK menu.

If you’re a Prime subscriber (£79 p/year, or £7.99 p/month) you can now add live TV channel subscriptions to your Prime Video app, with the choice of 40 channels starting from £1.49 per month.

Right now, it’s fair to say the UK’s selection won’t have Sky subscribers rushing to abandon ship just yet. The best channels so far include ITV Hub+ (for live, advert-free Benidorm), Eurosport Player, BFI Player and Discovery.

It’s all a way off the US version of Amazon Channels, which launched in 2015 and includes the likes of HBO and Showtime in its 105-channel lineup.

But the new channels are good news if you like the sound of topping up your streaming with a contract-free TV buffet, rather than Sky’s often pricey set menus. Sky’s cheapest TV bundle starts at £22 per month, though its NowTV Combo box is a cheaper option if you’re prepared to sign up for broadband and calls too.

All sound a bit tempting? Head to Amazon Channels to check out its full range of channels, plus some examples of the kind of programmes you’ll be able to squeeze in between Mr.Robot and The Man in the High Castle.

Live French Open tennis and Mythbusters in the Prime Video app? Go on then.

Mark Wilson Features editor

About

Mark's first review for Stuff was the Nokia N-Gage in 2004. Luckily, his career lasted a little longer than the taco phone, and he's been trying to figure out how gadgets fit back into their boxes ever since. While his 'Extreme Mark Wilson' persona was retired following a Microsoft skydiving incident, this means he can often be spotted in the wilds of South West London testing action cams, drones and smartwatches, and occasionally cursing at them.

Areas of expertise

Smart home tech, cameras, wearables and obscure gadgets from the early 2000s.