David Farnor | On 19, Jun 2018

YouTube Red is now available in the UK – but it’s going by a different name, YouTube Premium.

First launched a couple of years ago in the USA, YouTube Premium (formerly YouTube Red) allows YouTube fans to watch videos on the site without adverts, in the background, and offline. YouTube Premium subscribers also get access to the full line-up of YouTube Originals, which include both TV shows and movies from YouTube stars and creators.

That ranges from 12 Deadly Days, a comedy horror anthology starring Anna Akana, Jon Fletcher, J. Claude Deering and Kaitlin Doubleday, and Impulse, Doug Liman’s sci-fi series based on the novel by Steven Gould, to football travel show F2 Finding Football, Jack Whitehall: Training Days, and The Sidemen Show. The biggest hit to date, perhaps, is The Karate Kid sequel, Cobra Kai, a 10-part series that has already been renewed for a second season. (You can read our review of that here.)

After initially only being available in America, YouTube Premium is finally rolling out across 17 other countries, including the UK. A subscription costs £11.99 a month, or £17.99 a month for a Family Plan package, which allows up to six users in the same household to log in to the ad-free site. A three-month free trial is available to new users.

YouTube Premium’s launch arrives as YouTube also launches YouTube Music, a new music streaming service built on top of all the music on the site that you can’t find anywhere else – personalised and organised in one new app and web player. That ranges from music videos and official albums to singles, remixes, live performances and covers. A home screen provides recommendations and playlists, as well as smart searches for those who can’t remember the name of a specific track.

As well as original video content, YouTube Premium also includes ad-free, offline and background-playing access to YouTube Music. A standalone YouTube Music Premium subscription is available for £9.99 a month (£14.99 a month under a Family Plan).

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