Sky TV subscribers just unlocked over 250 new shows — without paying an extra penny or downloading a new app to their set-top box. From today, the complete catalogue from streaming service Hayu is accessible to anyone with an Ultimate TV bundle from the British broadcaster.
Hayu specialises in reality television, with hundreds of shows, including brand-new seasons and same-day release dates as the United States — removing the chance of seeing any spoilers on social media. Sky TV subscribers can watch every season of fan-favourite shows like The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Below Deck Mediterranean, and the 20th anniversary season of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Shows have been deeply integrated into the software experience across Sky TV hardware, letting viewers jump straight into the drama from the homepage, without the need for a separate subscription or app.
SkyOS, the custom-designed operating system for Sky Glass TVs and Sky Stream, will suggest new shows from the Hayu catalogue based on your tastes. Your progress in individual episodes will be synchronised across devices.
You can also surface shows from Hayu using the voice control functionality built into Sky Glass and Sky Stream. For example, say “Hello Sky, play Below Deck Mediterranean” to launch the latest episode of the show via hands-free voice search, or press and hold the microphone button on the remote and “Watch Hayu” to browse.
The roll-out of Hayu to anyone with an Ultimate TV bundle builds on a smaller preview of shows from the Hayu catalogue introduced back in March when Sky first confirmed plans to shake-up its premium subscription.
Hayu is the final addition to the revamped Ultimate TV bundle announced earlier this year, which now boasts five standalone streaming subscriptions alongside live and on-demand channels from Sky.
If you subscribed to Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu separately, it would cost you over £20 per month. With Ultimate TV priced at £24 per month, you'll effectively pay just £4 each month for the Sky Stream set-top box, access to 90 free-to-air channels delivered over the internet, and paid-for channels like Sky Atlantic, Sky Comedy, Sky History, MTV, and Comedy Central.
You'll also have access to the relaunched Sky One, which returns to your TV Guide after a six-year absence.
Everything is streamed via a Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection in High Definition, something that carried an extra £9 charge every month with Sky Q.
There's no need for a satellite dish with any of the latest Sky TV hardware, so you'll be able to set up Sky Stream, Sky Glass Gen 2, and Sky Glass Air yourself with a few taps on the remote.
Speaking about the refreshed Ultimate TV plan earlier this year, Sky Chief Consumer Officer, Sophia Ahmad, said: "This marks a new era for Sky and NOW. In a world-first, we’re bringing together Sky, Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Hayu into a single Sky TV subscription.
"Nowhere else offers this breadth of incredible entertainment in a fully integrated experience, with everything customers love watching side by side so viewers can jump from show to show with ease.
"Millions of existing customers will get easy access to this new line-up as standard at unbeatable value. All NOW Entertainment customers will get access to HBO Max, included at no extra cost, fully integrated within the NOW app. We’re proud to continue Sky’s legacy of innovation, making it easier than ever for people to enjoy the very best entertainment and best experience, all in one place.”
