David Farnor | On 10, Nov 2021

Click here to skip all this article nonsense and tell me where I can watch Elf online.

 

OH MY GOD! SANTA’S COMING! I KNOW HIM!

That was the cry of everyone screaming along with Elf at the same time when it was shown on Channel 4 every year. But ever since 2013, Elf is no longer shown on Channel 4. They’ve waved goodbye to Will Ferrell’s comedy, like Mr Narwhal sending it off into the world to find a new broadcaster and/or father.

Why? Because Sky bought out the exclusive rights to show Elf in the UK, which meant no more Elf on Channel 4 and no more communal Elf viewings (or #Elfalongs). Bah, humbug, the bunch of cotton-headed ninny-muggins.

But wait!

 

Sky also operates the streaming service NOW, which gives you access to Sky’s core catalogue of treats without the need for a subscription. For £11.99 a month, you can get a NOW Cinema Membership and stream Elf on-demand whenever you like this Christmas – and with a 7-day trial for new customers, that means there’s still a way to watch Elf online. For free. And legally.

The catch?

Elf is available exclusively on Sky Cinema, so you can now stream it on Sky or NOW.

Where can I watch Elf on-demand in the UK?

Elf is available exclusively on Sky Cinema in the UK. You can also stream it on NOW, as part of an £11.99 NOW Cinema Membership subscription.

Elf is also available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV (iTunes), Google Play, Sky Store, CHILI and Rakuten TV.

Want to #Elfalong with everyone else and you don’t have it on DVD? Sign up to NOW, or just sign up to Twitter and start recapturing that sense of communal spirit again. Because, as of 2013, there’s an annual tradition of live-tweeting an #Elfalong on (usually) the first Sunday in December.

Elf may have gone from Channel 4, but social media is how video on-demand’s individualising effect can be cancelled out. Event television isn’t dead: VOD has given viewers the ability to build their own viewing communities and schedules instead. In the words of Will Ferrell’s modern Christmas classic, it’s just nice to meet other humans that share our affinity for elf culture.

Or, to put it another way, the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear – whether that’s on 8th December or any other time you like.

 

Elf is available on Sky Cinema. Don’t have Sky? You can also stream it on NOW, as part of an £11.99 NOW Cinema Membership subscription. For the latest Sky TV packages and prices, click the button below.

 

Where can I rent or buy Elf online in the UK?

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