Paramount has plans to combine two of its UK platforms — My5 and Pluto TV — what might it mean for UK audiences?

The Hollywood Reporter (and others) are covering news of plans Paramount has to consolidate its UK services and get them ready for the future. In particular:

the move will bring together broadcast video-on-demand (BVOD) service My5 “with its leading FAST service Pluto TV to bring audiences in the U.K. a supersized, free streaming service in 2024.” It called the U.K. a “critical market.”

It’s all due to happen in the second half of 2024, with more details in the new year. The article goes on to cover various shows on both platforms, including Catfish, Dalgleish, All Creatures Great and Small, Come Dine with Me and various CSI shows. It seems Pluto TV has around 20,000 hours of content (in the UK) and 150 channels with content from Paramount and others.

Longer term we wonder how this will expand, and when Paramount will announce its own advertising supported service for the UK (in line with the now one year old Netflix service, and the new Disney+ services). We also see suggestions this may allow some access to more marque shows in the future, though we suspect it will be a while before we can catch up with all the Star Trek shows this way.