Viacom (ViacomCBS/Channel 5) operated two distinct versions of the free-to-air Paramount Network on Freeview (with the original pay-tv Paramount Channel becoming
Comedy Central in 2009). The first version of the Freeview channel was launched on 4 July 2018 as a sister channel to 5Spike, and with a
high-definition feed exclusively on
Virgin Media from 21 July 2018. It ceased to be available via satellite in Ireland on 13 July 2018 despite the channel being promoted to Irish viewers before launch (however, the channel could still be accessed via manual tuning on Sky in Ireland). On 7 January 2020, Paramount Network was merged with
5Spike in its slots on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media, got its new branding, and subsumed its +1
timeshift channel on Sky. The timeshift channel ceased broadcasting on 14 July 2020. Paramount Network rebranded as
5Action on 19 January 2022 in preparation for
Paramount+ launching in the UK.
Programming The original British version of Paramount Network was as a general entertainment channel showing American movies and series such as
Suits and
Lip Sync Battle. In 2020, Channel 5 merged this channel with that of 5Spike, with Paramount Network becoming more of a male-skewing channel, following the lead of the original American Spike TV, which targeted a young adult male audience, becoming Paramount Network in the United States. This second version of Paramount Network had a schedule very much in keeping with that of 5Spike, with action movies at night, westerns at lunch and programmes such as
Police Interceptors and
Traffic Cops running episodes back-to-back early evening. When the channel got its second rebrand in early 2022, again no major changes were made to the schedule yet on Freeview channel 32 apart from the Jason Bourne spin-off
Treadstone debuting on the channel.
Former programming (Paramount Network) Original version •
Access •
Aftermath •
Agent Carter •
American Horror Story •
Arrow •
Channel Zero •
CSI: Miami •
CSI: NY •
Designated Survivor •
Empire •
Gilmore Girls •
Grimm •
Heroes Reborn •
Home and Away •
House •
Impractical Jokers US •
LA to Vegas •
Lip Sync Battle US •
Life in Pieces •
Neighbours •
Six •
Sleepy Hollow •
Suits •
Taken •
Training Day •
Teen Wolf •
The Mick •
The Office US •
The Strain •
Vikings •
When Calls the Heart •
Will & Grace •
Wynonna Earp •
The X-Files Second version (formally 5Spike) Programmes broadcast on the male-skewing version included: •
Access •
Airwolf (now broadcast on ViacomCBS/AMC's
Legend channel) •
The A-Team • ''
Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away'' •
Caught on Camera (episodes might be billed as
Criminals: Caught on Camera or
Seconds from Death: Caught on Camera) •
Gangland •
Fights, Camera, Action •
The Gadget Show •
Knight Rider • ''Michael McIntyre's Big Show'' (this format was produced by
Sky Vision, and was originally broadcast on BBC One) •
NXT UK Highlights •
Police Interceptors (some episodes known as
Ultimate Police Interceptors) •
Police Raids: Caught by Surprise •
Raw Recruits: Squaddies at 16 •
Sewermen •
Street Hawk •
Tsunami (with Dr Xand van Tulleken and Raksha Dave) •
Traffic Cops •
Trucking Hell •
WWE Raw Highlights •
WWE SmackDown Highlights •
The X-Files •
Yellowstone == References ==