Sling TV just got a massive upgrade — 12 free channels including 'Doctor Who,' 'Baywatch,' 'Top Gear' and more

The Sling TV app button on the Apple TV home screen.
(Image credit: Henry T. Casey / Tom's Guide)

Sling TV may be one of our favorite cable alternatives, but it's not the only way Sling lets you cut the cord. It also offers you Freestream, a free ad-supported television (FAST) streaming service that lets you watch tons of shows and movies for free.

And now, it's getting a dozen new channels all at once. As reported by Cord Cutters News, Freestream has added 12 new channels this week, giving the free streaming service over 430 channels in addition to over 41,000 on-demand shows and movies.

Many of these 12 new channels are courtesy of the BBC, and that's no bad thing. Especially when two of the channels are BBC "Doctor Who" and BBC "Top Gear." These two BBC shows have millions of rabid fans (myself included) and Freestream giving away hours upon hours of episodes to watch for free is a massive win for those same fans.

But those aren't the only big shows coming to Freestream. There's also a "Baywatch" channel coming for anyone who wants to return to Malibu Beach and hang out with "The Hoff."

Here's the full list of all 12 new free channels coming to Sling Freestream:

  • "Antiques Road Trip"
  • BBC "Antiques Roadshow" UK
  • "Baywatch"
  • BBC Earth
  • BBC Food
  • BBC Home and Garden
  • BBC Travel
  • BBC "Doctor Who"
  • "Farscape"
  • Fawesome
  • "Startalk" TV
  • BBC "Top Gear"

Analysis: Free TV feels closer to replacing cable

These aren't the only channels Sling has added to Freestream recently. According to Cord Cutters News, there have been 31 channels added recently in addition to these new 12 free channels.

That equals a lot of free TV you can mindlessly watch — and that's going to be a problem for cable and (ironically) cable alternatives like Sling.

Granted, there will always be people who want a cable or cable-like experience. Whether it's live sports coverage, something free options struggle to offer due to cost, or people simply feel comfortable with traditional TV offerings, cable will always have an appeal to some.

Ultimately, more and more people are going to supplement their paid streaming services with free ones, rather than also paying for cable.

But for a lot of people that appeal is disappearing. The best TV shows aren't debuting on cable networks anymore, or at least, not often and even then not often exclusively. Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Max, etc. are where you go to find those shows. They also offer deep movie libraries, including new releases or movies that just left theaters.

And now, FAST streaming services are offering thousands of hours of mindless TV watching and "comfort food" TV for free. You don't need cable to watch reruns of Top Gear on BBC America, you can do it on Freestream for free and the same can be said for many popular shows. Ultimately, more and more people are going to supplement their paid streaming services with free ones, rather than also paying for cable. And the more quality free channels services like Freestream add to their offerings, the sooner that shift will arrive.

More from Tom's Guide

TOPICS
Malcolm McMillan
Streaming Editor

Malcolm McMillan is a Streaming Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.

Read more
The Sling TV app button on the Apple TV home screen.
Sling TV just added 11 free new channels — including a show rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Sling TV app button on the Apple TV home screen.
Sling just added 11 free streaming channels — here's what's you can watch
Google TV logo on TV
Google TV now has over 170 free channels — here's what you can watch
The Sling TV app button on the Apple TV home screen.
Sling just gave its DVR feature a massive upgrade — but there's a catch
Sling TV
Sling TV channels, app, packages, price and plans
Freevee on a television screen
The best free streaming services to watch movies and shows for $0
Latest in Streaming
(From L to R) Rohan (Nik Dodani), Josh (Brandon Flynn), Dorothy (Edie Falco), John (Dean Norris), and Liddie (Lisa Kuthrow) in The Parenting
Max top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso in Ted Lasso season 3
‘Ted Lasso’ season 4 is official — here’s what Jason Sudeikis revealed
Cristin Milioti in "Black Mirror" season 7 coming to Netflix
‘Black Mirror’ season 7 trailer teases some of the darkest episodes yet — here’s when you can stream it
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred in "The Wheel of Time" season 3
Prime Video top 10 shows — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
In court in Dedham, Massachusetts. (From left) Attorney Emily Little, Karen Read and attorney David Yannetti
How to watch 'A Body in The Snow: The Trial of Karen Read' from anywhere online
Google Chromecast
Google has a fix for broken Chromecasts as long as you didn't factory reset
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2
New Nintendo Switch 2 FCC filing suggests this beloved Nintendo controller could make a comeback
(From L to R) Rohan (Nik Dodani), Josh (Brandon Flynn), Dorothy (Edie Falco), John (Dean Norris), and Liddie (Lisa Kuthrow) in The Parenting
Max top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
NYT Strands on a cellphone
NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #378 (Sunday, March 16 2025)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE renders
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE price leak is bad news for budget-conscious buyers
Google Assistant
Gemini to kill off Google Assistant on most Android phones — here's what you need to know
MacBook Air M4
MacBook Air M4 teardown reveals familiar repairability pain points