Make the Most of Your ITV Subscription with These Tips
ITV launched in 1955 as the first commercial alternative to the BBC and has spent nearly seven decades building a reputation for homegrown drama, documentaries, and unfiltered current affairs. Its daytime schedule still leans on game shows and news, yet the streaming service now carries the heaviest lift for viewers who want the full catalogue without a traditional television aerial.
Most ITV programming is available through the free ITVX platform, while an optional paid tier removes commercials and unlocks extra perks. The service remains geo-restricted to the United Kingdom, so anyone outside the country will still need a reliable VPN connection to a UK server before signing up.
The Best ITV Shows in 2021
With everything from sports, news, talk shows, reality TV, and more, ITV has binge-worthy content for people of all ages and with all kinds of tastes. Here are some of the most popular programs to look out for on the ITV streaming service in 2021.
Reality TV
Love Island continues to dominate summer schedules, now fronted by Maya Jama, who keeps the nightly debriefs moving at a brisk pace and draws in a wider audience than earlier seasons. The morning companion show still offers villa gossip and guest interviews for anyone who missed the previous night’s developments.
The Real Housewives of Cheshire maintains its place as the longest-running British edition of the franchise, tracking the ups and downs of Cheshire’s moneyed set with the same mix of lunches and lingering grudges that first hooked viewers.
Olivia Meets Her Match follows Olivia Attwood as she balances her public profile with life in Manchester alongside footballer Bradley Dack, giving fans a closer look at post-villa routines and domestic logistics.
Drama
Emmerdale remains a Yorkshire institution, its storylines still anchored around The Woolpack and the surrounding Dales community that has kept the soap running for more than fifty years.
Innocent continues to resonate with viewers who appreciate lean, fact-based thrillers; the series revisits the case of a man released after seven years inside once new evidence clears his name.
Midsomer Murders keeps its tongue-in-cheek body count high, offering neatly plotted mysteries that reward long-time fans and casual viewers alike.
Comedy
Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers still sit comfortably in the rotation for viewers who prefer rapid-fire American animation, while Superstore supplies workplace satire set inside a sprawling retail chain.
The Stand-Up Sketch Show rounds out the slate with comedians restaging their own routines in short, stylized sketches that highlight timing and punch-line craft without stretching into full sitcom territory.
ITVX Premium Benefits and Pricing
ITVX Premium removes every mid-roll advert, supports mobile downloads for offline viewing, and folds in BritBox and Hayu Select libraries at no extra charge. The tier costs £5.99 each month or £59.99 annually with no contract required, while the free tier already delivers roughly fifteen thousand hours of programming supported by ads.
Live Sports and Events on ITVX
ITVX streams live ITV coverage of domestic football, rugby, horse racing, and major tournaments, giving subscribers the same access once limited to linear broadcasts. The platform has also carried free-to-air rights for events such as the World Cup, allowing viewers to follow key matches without an additional sports package.
Device Compatibility and App Features
The service runs on iOS and Android phones, most smart televisions, Amazon Fire TV devices, and any web browser. Premium subscribers can download episodes to their phones for travel or patchy connections, and HD streaming is standard across supported hardware.
New Reality Formats and Spin-offs
Love Island Season 13 arrives in 2026 with fresh contestants and the same nightly format, while The Vardys, Celebrity Sabotage, and The Heat hosted by Olivia Attwood expand the reality slate beyond the villa. These additions keep the genre competitive without displacing the flagship series.
ITVX Premium makes sense for anyone who watches several hours each week and values an ad-free experience or wants the BritBox catalogue included. Viewers outside the United Kingdom can still reach the service by connecting through a VPN for ITV, signing up on the website, and then streaming on any compatible device. The combination keeps the full range of ITV programming available without the old limitations of cable schedules or regional blackouts.
