My5 is Channel 5’s official streaming app, and its defining trait is that everything is free. No subscription gates the catalogue: the whole thing is ad-supported, funded by ad breaks served during playback. That single decision shapes the product. It puts the ad-insertion pipeline at the centre of the video layer rather than treating it as an afterthought, and it means the account you create exists to sync your watchlist and resume points across devices, not to unlock paid tiers.
I worked on My5 across mobile, connected TV, and the web. It streams Channel 5 and its sister channels (5STAR, 5USA, 5SELECT, 5ACTION) live, alongside an on-demand catalogue of catch-up episodes, full box sets, and originals covering drama, reality, factual, and entertainment. The app sits within the Paramount/Channel 5 portfolio, and a shared account keeps a viewer’s progress and preferences consistent wherever they sign in.
Architecture
The app is built on Apache Cordova as its cross-platform foundation, but the parts that matter most for playback are native. The tvOS app is built fully natively, and native Android and iOS layers handle video and the platform-specific features underneath the shared shell. That split lets one codebase carry the browsing and account experience while each platform keeps a native player.
The stack:
- Apache Cordova as the cross-platform app foundation
- A fully native tvOS app, with native Android and iOS layers for playback and platform-specific features
- Native video playback with adaptive bitrate streaming (HLS/DASH)
- DRM-protected playback (Widevine on Android, FairPlay on iOS) for licensed broadcast content
- Server-side and client-side ad insertion for the ad-supported, free-to-view model
- CDN distribution for live and on-demand streams
- Authentication and account services for cross-device sync of watchlist and resume points
- Analytics and playback/QoS telemetry for engagement and streaming quality
Ad-Supported Playback
Because there is no subscription, ad insertion is not a bolt-on: it runs through both live and on-demand playback. Server-side and client-side ad insertion stitch breaks into streams, and the harder part is doing it without breaking continuity, so a mid-roll on a catch-up episode or a live channel does not feel like the app has stalled. Resume-from-anywhere leans on account services to sync playback position, so a session started on one device picks up cleanly on another. Playback and quality-of-service telemetry feed back into reliability and into the personalised home rails that decide what each viewer sees first.
Features
- Live TV: Stream Channel 5, 5STAR, 5USA, 5SELECT, and 5ACTION as they broadcast, with a live schedule for what is on now and next
- Catch-up and Box Sets: Watch shows on demand after broadcast and binge full box sets, organised into browsable categories, genres, and curated collections
- Continue Watching: Resume any title from where it was left off, with playback position synced across devices
- Personalised Browsing: Home rails and recommendations shaped by viewing habits, plus a watchlist for saving titles
- Registration and Profiles: A free account unlocks cross-device sync, watchlist, and resume, with sign-in shared across the wider Channel 5 streaming experience
- Accessibility: Subtitles and captions on supported titles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is My5 free to use? Yes. My5 is free and ad-supported across the whole catalogue, funded by ad breaks served during playback rather than a subscription. A free account is optional and exists to sync your watchlist and resume points.
Which channels can I watch live on My5? My5 streams Channel 5 and its sister channels live: 5STAR, 5USA, 5SELECT, and 5ACTION, alongside an on-demand catalogue of catch-up episodes and box sets.
How is My5 built across mobile and TV? The app uses Apache Cordova as its cross-platform foundation, with a fully native tvOS app and native Android and iOS layers handling video playback and platform-specific features.