Hi Jon, my girlfriend and I are huge Mad Men fans and can’t wait for season five to start. I’ve heard that it won’t broadcast on the BBC however - which channel will it be on? We currently have Freeview, will we be able to watch Mad Man on a Freeview channel?
Paul Hunt, Middlesbrough, via email, Friday 14 January, 2011
While many viewers in the UK, like you Paul, are used to watching the Emmy-winning series on BBC4, the next season of Mad Men will be shown exclusively on Sky’s new channel, Sky Atlantic from August.
So unless you subscribe to the satellite TV service from Sky, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until season five is released on DVD to get your fix of Don Draper et al.
Signing up for a Sky TV (www.sky.co.uk) package will get you access to the show as well as a whole load of other popular programmes showing on Sky Atlantic, in either standard or high-definition (HD).
Read my advice below on Sky Atlantic and how to get Sky TV, so you can watch every episode of Mad Men series five…
Sky’s new channel, Sky Atlantic, is launching on 1 February, exclusively for Sky TV subscribers.
The channel is an upmarket offering of award-wining US drama series coupled with new UK shows. It will also be the only place to watch season five of cult retro drama series Mad Men.
It is available in standard definition at no extra cost, to all Sky subscribers taking the Variety “viewing pack”. Those who also subscribe to the Sky HD pack with a Sky+HD set-top box will also be able to watch the channel in high-definition.
The Sky HD pack costs an extra £10.25 a month on top of your standard Sky subscription, prices for which start from £19.50 a month.
Sky says the channel will become “the exclusive UK home of new HBO content”. As well as the exclusive rights that Sky has secured to show season five of Mad Men (pictured) in August, it will broadcast the highly anticipated new Kate Winslet mini-series Mildred Pierce in June.
Sky has signed a deal with programme maker HBO, which allows the digital TV provider to show all HBO’s new drama series. These include Martin Scorsese’s new Prohibition-era drama Boardwalk Empire starring Steve Buscemi, which will be broadcast in February, Other highlights include:
Programmes broadcast on Sky Atlantic will also be available on-demand through the Sky Anytime+ service to customers that also take Sky Broadband.
Sky (www.sky.co.uk) is the UK’s leading satellite TV provider. and is the service of choice for over 10 million homes around the country.
It offers the largest selection of channels in the UK, ranging from entertainment and sports to kids’ and films. And for homes that have a HD ready TV, Sky offers at least 54 high-definition channels, including its Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels.
Sky TV can also be bundled with a phone line and broadband, if you’re looking to switch those services to save some cash. Take a look at the table to find the perfect package for you, so you can watch series five of Mad Men:
| Sky TV only | Sky TV + Broadband + Calls | ||
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| More info | More info | More info | More info |
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from £12.50 a month
+ Sky+ box
+ £25 M&S voucher |
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from £17.62 a month
+ Sky+ box
+ £25 M&S voucher |
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from £12.50 a month
+ Sky+ Box
+ £25 M&S voucher |
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from £20 a month
+ Sky+ Box
+ £25 M&S voucher |
Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky TV - Sky Entertainment extra pack |
Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky TV - Sky Entertainment extra pack 1/2 price Sky HD pack for 6 months |
Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky TV - Sky Entertainment extra pack Up to 14Mb speed 2GB monthly usage Inclusive UK evening and weekend calls
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Online exclusive 1/2 price TV for 6 months Sky Entertainment extra pack Up to 14Mb speed Unlimited downloads Inclusive UK evening and weekend calls
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| More info | More info | More info | More info |
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Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407 |
Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407 |
Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407 |
Visit Sky.com or call 0844 241 1407 |
If you’re an avid Mad Men fan and don’t want to have to wait for the boxset to come out on DVD, make sure you sign-up for a Sky TV package to watch the new series on Sky Atlantic.
If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at ourexpert@digitalchoices.co.uk