Channel will become free-to-air with ents focus in shake-up of linear portfolio
Warner Bros Discovery is overhauling its channels in the UK & Ireland, transforming TLC into an ents-focused, free-to-air channel with an eye-catching Mock the Week reboot.
TLC will become free-to-air in the UK from January 2026, offering viewers a schedule of unscripted entertainment formats and scripted comedy imports.
The move will also see the sunsetting of the UK&I HGTV channel, with fellow FTA network Really, benefitting from several titles from its shuttering sibling brand.
TLC’s unscripted slate is led by a “new look” revival of satirical panel show Mock the Week from Angst Productions, which produced the original series that ran on BBC2 for 17 years until its axing in 2022.
Details of on-screen talent and format are under-wraps, but Broadcast understands it will refresh the hit comedy title while staying true to its predecessor.
Joining it on the unscripted line-up is previously announced humour-based travelogue Zero Stars, following comedians Roisin Conaty and Sara Pascoe as they trek across the world, experiencing places with only the funniest and worst reviews. It is made by CPL, which also makes the UK edition of 90 Day Fiancé for TLC, and produced by CPL and based on an original Danish format from Liquidminds, distributed by Primitives.
WBD’s investment in the genre for TLC is bolstered by its largest order of scripted comedy across its UK FTA linear portfolio, with the charge led by hit sitcom franchise The Big Bang Theory and spin-offs Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, as well as Melissa McCarthy comedy Mike & Molly.
The acquisition of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage marks the UK premiere for the CBS title, which made its debut in the States last year.
Though TLC is shifting its focus to become an entertainment offering, it will continue to host reality TV favourites Dr Pimple Popper, My 600-lb Life and 90 Day Fiancé franchise.
HGTV shutters
From January, Really will house HGTV tentpoles including Celebrity IOU with the Property Brothers, Home Town and My Lottery Dream Home. Other programming from titles, as the property, home and lifestyle brand HGTV will continue to be available on WBD’s streamer Discovery+.
When the changes come into effect, WBD’s UK free-to-air portfolio will consist of six channels: Quest, Quest Red, Food Network and DMAX, TLC and Really.
The broadcaster’s current UK and Ireland linear television channel offering will continue to be in place for the remainder of 2025.
Bolstered linear slate
WBD has also commissioned Fremantle label Naked West to make 8 x 60-minute Francis Bourgeois & Chris Harris: We Saved a Train (w/t) for Quest. The series follows the friends and engineering obsessives as they restore a dilapidated diesel locomotive back to working order.
It joins a slate of upcoming titles that include Guz Khan’s Custom Cars (w/t), and a bumper order of franchise Auction House. STV Studios is behind the seventh series of Yorkshire Auction House, the sixth run of Celebrity Yorkshire Auction House and the third outing of Derbyshire Auction House.
Meanwhile, HCA Entertainment is making an eighth series of Shed & Buried, spin-off Shed & Buried: Classic Bikes and a fourth run of Shed & Buried: Classic Cars.
On the Food Network, WBD has ordered a third instalment of the Adam Richman Eats… series, this time following the foodie as he takes on Italian grub in 10 x 30-minute series Adam Richman Eats Italy, from Raise the Roof Productions.
Graham Lafferty, senior vice-president of content strategy and networks for WBD UK&I said it was key for the company to “bring TLC to more viewers with a move to free-to-air in the UK”.
He added: “Through TLC, we are excited to commission and curate a broad entertainment channel that spans both scripted and unscripted content, including award-winning shows like The Big Bang Theory, through to a new-look British comedy staple like Mock the Week.”
Mock the Week reboot
A lot of the headlines around TLC’s reboot are likely to focus on WBD’s reboot of Mock the Week. The Angst Productions comedy veteran was cancelled after 17 years in 2022, with a fair amount of shock and consternation, despite its longevity.
“Part of the reason that we’re leaning into Mock the Week is because it is recognisable,” Lafferty told Broadcast. “My view is there was a lot of viewers that weren’t ready for it to be cancelled when it was.
“It still attracted an awful lot of interest and actually even on social now, it’s huge. So, I think there’s equity in it.”
Although Lafferty warns the commission is still in the “pretty early stages”, he stressed its return would not be around “ripping it up”, but teased that it could be a rejuvenation of the comedy panel format.
“I think it is a really strong format, but there is an opportunity, having been away for a little bit of time, to take a take a look at that,” he added.
“Will it still be recognisable to fans of Mock the Week? Yes, because it has to be, right? Will we look at things that we can do to build on top of it rather than, replicate? Probably, again it’s iterations – how do we take it forward?
“We’ll have a look at it. But it’s too early, really to get into what will change – will everybody be the same, will the rounds all look the same? It will look recognisable.”
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