Television as we know it is dying. For three months towards the end of 2024, more people watched Netflix than BBC One, and an Ofcom report has found that less than half of British young people are tuning into linear TV channels on a weekly basis. The landscape is changing so dramatically that the government has set up a forum to scrutinise the state of traditional broadcasting.
But it’s not just streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video that are making TV channels obsolete. Young people are abandoning broadcasters for video sharing platforms like YouTube. “Gen Z and Alpha are used to swiping and streaming, not flipping through broadcast TV channels,” said Ian Macrae, Ofcom’s director of market intelligence. “They crave the flexibility, immediacy and choice that on-demand services offer.”
YouTube, then, is undeniably the future of television. There are 56.2 million users in the UK alone and our younger viewers are watching it for three times longer than they’re watching traditional broadcasters every day. We can choose to either ignore it (and eventually, inevitably) get left behind, or embrace it. The advent of a new TV era isn’t necessarily a bad thing – too often YouTube is dismissed as a platform for kids or the playground of millionaire influencers like Mr Beast and Molly-Mae Hague.
But there are thousands of videos that are just as good (and in many cases, better) than some of the content produced by the BBC and ITV; videos that can teach you something, improve your life or simply while away an hour or two. Whether you’re looking to expand your viewing horizons or simply can’t find anything to watch on normal television, here are some of the best channels to watch on YouTube for free:
NPR Tiny Desk
Music used to be a mainstay of television, but Later… with Jools Holland is the last show standing. Over on YouTube, however, live performances are thriving – and no-one does it better than NPR’s Tiny Desk. Featuring acoustic shows from exciting new artists like Doechii and Chappell Roan to superstars such as Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, there’s truly something for all tastes – you might even discover your new favourite artist.
Yoga with Adriene
Thirteen million people subscribe to Adriene Mishler’s channel, which aims to make yoga easy and accessible to all, whether you can get your legs behind your head or not. Joined by her adorable dog Benji (though he often sleeps his way through the session), Adriene gently leads 20-to-40-minute classes, with a wide variety of difficulties. One thing’s for certain: you won’t get distracted by your phone.
Geowizard
Tom Davies – better known as Geowizard – spends his time travelling the world, though most of his adventures take place on the British Isles. This isn’t just any old travelogue, however, as Davies sets himself increasingly bizarre challenges, from travelling across Norway in a straight line to traversing Birmingham without using any roads. His latest series of videos see him walking along the coast of Cornwall with only a sleeping bag and a tenner in his pocket.
Chicken Shop Date
What started out as a small interview series with underground British rappers has morphed into an internationally acclaimed interview series, all thanks to host Amelia Dimoldenberg’s sarcastic, daring questioning. In the 10 years since Chicken Shop Date launched, she’s “dated” the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Ryan Reynolds and Paul Mescal into London’s various fried chicken shops – but her best chat is with Andrew Garfield, with whom she has genuine chemistry.
Defunctland
The best thing about YouTube is that creators have no pressure to appeal to the widest audience possible, so can be as niche and detailed as they please. Defunctland goes deep, dedicating feature-length documentaries to disused theme parks and similar ephemera. If you’ve ever wondered why Disneyland Hong Kong never worked or why Alton Towers has a “black hole”, this is the channel for you.
Pasta Grannies
Every Friday, Pasta Grannies visits the house of an elderly Italian woman who shows off her best recipe – it really is that simple. Watch 91-year-old Maria whip up a delicious-looking green lasagna, 93-year-old Clara fold delicate pastry into cannoli or 103-year-old Irma rolling out strips of tagliatelle. The best bit? The recipes are included in every video description.
Open Door by Architectural Digest
Remember MTV’s Through the Keyhole-esque series Cribs? This series by interiors magazine Architectural Digest is a bit like that – just with more class. Some A-list celebrities have shown off their fancy mansions, but my favourite episodes are from Cara Delevingne (who has a “vagina tunnel” hidden in her wall) rapper Wiz Khalifa, whose house is covered in pictures of himself, and Dakota Johnson and her enormous bowl of limes.
Bon Appétit
Warning: don’t tune into any Bon Appétit video on an empty stomach. This is one of the best food channels on YouTube, dedicated to not only teaching us at home how to cook (whether that’s making different pasta shapes or butchering an entire cow), but also experimenting with what we eat. Gourmet Pringles, reverse-engineered scotch eggs and Michelin-starred curry are all on the menu.
Omoleto
If you’re worried about losing quality drama when traditional broadcasters eventually go the way of the dodo, may I introduce you to Omeleto. Short-form episodes tell all sorts of stories – from heartbreaking romances to tense sci-fi adventures to laugh-out-loud comedies. You might recognise some of the actors too: Amanda Seyfried, Steven Yeun, Barry Keoghan, Bella Ramsey and Maisie Williams are just some of the famous faces who crop up.
Great Art Explained
Sky Arts and BBC Four provide excellent arts programming, but for those of us who aren’t exactly au fait with the world of classic paintings, they can sometimes be a bit esoteric. Enter Great Art Explained, a channel run by curator and gallerist James Payne who takes some of the world’s most famous works and explains why they’re so revered in just 15 minutes. Once you’ve made your way through them, head on over to sister channel Great Books Explained.
Kurzgesagt
Ever wondered why humans have allergies? Is time travel really possible? And just how would we win an intergalactic war against aliens? All these questions and more are explored with “optimistic nihilism” on Kurzgesagt (which means “in a nutshell” in German). The videos are all animated and separated into various categories, including “futurism” and “human stuff” and “existential crisis” (that’s probably one to avoid binge-watching).
Mike’s Mic
No-one knows pop culture like charming Australian YouTuber Michael Messineo. With videos dissecting 21st century phenomena such as the Mamma Mia cinematic universe, the reason why there are so many animated rat films and the 2004 classic Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Mike’s Mic is the go-to channel for off-piste cultural commentary you won’t find anywhere else. Don’t miss his hours-long recaps of underrated teen shows Glee, Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars – complete with diagrams.