What is HBO?
In the early 2000s, when many TV channels were just getting into reality TV and moving away from scripted series, HBO started leading the shift toward higher-quality TV programmes with shows that are still widely regarded as some of the best television of all time.
The Wire, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under routinely crop up in critics’ lists and are still deemed to be ‘must see’ TV decades after their original air dates.
In recent years, HBO has continued to step up its programming with a range of comedy, drama, and fantasy series starring A-list celebrities and backed by award-winning directors, producers, and writers. The channel has historically swept most awards ceremonies and elevated TV across the board, so it’s no wonder that people from all over the world want to view HBO’s programming.
With high-quality programmes like The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, White Lotus, The Sopranos, and The Wire, HBO has long been considered one of the leading television producers in the US. Even though the Game of Thrones finale was not what most of us were hoping for, it remains one of the biggest TV shows of all time.
Here’s how you can watch HBO shows in the UK.
Watch HBO on Sky
Sky and HBO have a deal that gives Sky exclusive rights to broadcast first-run and currently-airing HBO programmes in the UK and other European markets through 2025. Some series are even aired live at the same time as they are in the US, which lets you avoid spoilers.
Historically, most of HBO's premium content airs on Sky Atlantic, with a sizeable amount of its programming coming from HBO. Many of these are well-known and award-winning series that you can't watch anywhere else.
The channel also shows other prestige series from other US networks such as AMC and Showtime. Additionally, Sky Atlantic produces its own original programming in partnership with some US channels, including The New Pope with HBO and Catherine the Great with Showtime.
Unlike other Sky channels, Sky Atlantic is only available to Sky and NOW customers. However, in recent years, more HBO content has become available on other channels like Sky Showcase, Sky Comedy, and Sky Max.
Our best Sky TV deals
Want a bigger and better TV package? Check out the latest Sky TV deals on Uswitch.
HBO shows on Sky Atlantic
Game of Thrones
House of the Dragon
True Detective
The Newsroom
Mare of Easttown
The Gilded Age
Band of Brothers
The Wire
Julia
The Last of Us
Succession
In Treatment
HBO shows on Sky Showcase
True Detective
Sex And The City
Curb Your Enthusiasm
HBO shows on Sky Comedy
The Comeback
Girls
Sex And The City
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Veep
HBO shows on Sky Max
The Flight Attendant
HBO shows on Sky
There's a wealth of amazing TV shows to watch on HBO on Sky. Here are some of the most popular:
The Last of Us
The White Lotus
Game of Thrones
House of the Dragon
Chernobyl
Euphoria
The Undoing
Succession
Mare of Easttown
Lovecraft Country
The Flight Attendant
Westworld
Big Little Lies
Watchmen
The New Pope
Veep
The Young Pope
The Wire
The Sopranos
True Detective
True Blood
Sex and the City
And Just Like That
Scenes From A Marriage
How can I watch Sky Atlantic?
Because Sky Atlantic offers such in-demand programming, Sky heavily limits its availability.
Unlike Sky Sports and Sky Cinema channels, Sky Atlantic can’t be added to packages with other TV providers. To get Sky Atlantic, you have to be a Sky subscriber, either to Sky itself or its streaming service, NOW.
Subscribing to Sky TV may make sense if you’re interested in Sky programming—including its sports and cinema channels—and want long-term access to Sky Atlantic.
Our best Sky TV deals
Want a bigger and better TV package? Check out the latest Sky TV deals on Uswitch.
On the other hand, if you’re only after one or two HBO shows or aren’t interested in a TV subscription, NOW is a great option to get quick access to Sky Atlantic.
NOW is a streaming service that offers monthly passes on a contract-free, pay-as-you-go basis. So if you’re a fan of Westworld, for example, and are only interested in that programme, you can get an Entertainment membership for the premiere date, then unsubscribe once the series is over — and reactivate in time for the new series.
The NOW Entertainment membership gives you access to 14 channels, including several from Sky:
Sky Atlantic
Sky Max
Sky Witness
GOLD
Sky Comedy
Comedy Central
Sky Documentaries
MTV
SYFY
Sky Crime
Sky Nature
Sky History
Sky Arts
National Geographic
Once you sign up for the NOW TV membership, download the app to almost any device — most models of tablets, smartphones, games consoles, set-top boxes and smart TVs are supported — or access the site from a web browser on your laptop and start streaming.
You should be able to access on-demand content or live TV channels, although the latter isn’t supported on YouView boxes.
Want to watch on the big screen? Find out how to watch NOW on your TV.
Our best NOW deals
Want access to all the great content from Sky without signing up for a long-term contract? Stream what you want, when you want with our latest NOW TV & broadband deals on Uswitch.
Can I get HBO Max in the UK?
With almost every network launching its own streaming service, it comes as no surprise that HBO has its own exclusive platform, HBO Max. However, due to the lucrative deal already in place with Sky, HBO Max is officially off the table for UK subscribers.
However, you can still access HBO Max’s original content, as well as lots more HBO programming, on Sky Atlantic.
HBO Max shows on Sky
Many of the HBO Max original shows are broadcast on Sky Atlantic at the same time that they air in the US. In fact, some of HBO Max's recent content was produced in the UK and now features on HBO Max in the US, such as I Hate Suzy and It's a Sin. Here are some of the popular HBO Max shows you can watch on Sky:
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
Peacemaker
And Just Like That
Friends: The Reunion
Raised by Wolves
The Flight Attendant
The Outsider
I Hate Suzy
Expecting Amy
Are DC movies and TV shows on Sky Atlantic?
The nerds reading this will know that DC Comics – home of Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman – is owned by HBO parent company Warner Bros. As such, HBO Max is the best place to stream shows like Doom Patrol and Harley Quinn. Unfortunately, that arrangement doesn't translate to those shows and movies appearing on Sky Atlantic.
How much does HBO Max cost?
At launch, HBO Max had the highest monthly price of any streaming service in the US. And at $15 a month (roughly £12) but has begun creeping up to charge slightly higher prices for ad-free viewing.
