Rewind TV Brings More Banned Cult Films To Freeview

Rewind TV is kicking off the new year with a double dose of nostalgia – beloved British sitcoms during the day, and some genuinely notorious cult films after dark.

The retro-focused channel’s January lineup pairs the gentle wit of Jack Rosenthal comedies with an After Hours selection that includes several titles from the infamous “video nasties” list – films that were banned or prosecuted under the Video Recordings Act in the 1980s.

It’s quite the programming contrast, but that’s rather become Rewind TV’s signature move.

Where to Find Rewind TV

Since launching on Sky in May 2024 and expanding to Freeview that September, Rewind TV has established itself as a reliable home for classic British programming that would otherwise remain locked in archives.

You can currently find it on Freeview Channel 81, Sky Channel 182 (satellite only), and Freely Channel 141 (but only with an aerial connected).

The appetite for nostalgic content has never been stronger. Rival channel Talking Pictures TV – the family-run operation broadcasting vintage British films from a shed in Hertfordshire – now pulls in around 4 million viewers per month. TPTV arrived on Freely back in November, and is available across Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, and Freesat.

Rewind TV, by contrast, remains absent from Sky Stream, Sky Glass, Freesat – and unlike TPTV, it’s yet to make the jump to Freely’s streaming service.

Given the proven demand for retro programming, that feels like a missed opportunity. Whether Rewind TV follows TPTV’s lead and expands its reach in 2026 remains to be seen.

After Hours in January: From Cheeky to Genuinely Nasty

Rewind TV’s late-night After Hours strand launched last autumn with a collection of 1960s and 70s cult classics – think Russ Meyer, Kenny Everett specials, and films like Bloodbath at the House of Death.

January’s selection pushes things considerably further, featuring several films that found themselves on the Director of Public Prosecutions’ notorious list during the video nasty panic of the early 1980s.

Inseminoid

Inseminoid is perhaps the most well-known of the bunch – a 1981 British sci-fi horror set on a remote alien world, where a research team encounters a creature with deeply unpleasant reproductive intentions.

It was one of the 72 films identified as potentially obscene during the video nasty era, though it was eventually released uncut.

Mardi Gras Massacre

Mardi Gras Massacre takes viewers to New Orleans during carnival season, where a mysterious killer is stalking victims.

This 1978 exploitation thriller was successfully prosecuted and remained banned in the UK for decades – it’s properly nasty stuff, not for the faint-hearted.

Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things

Bob Clark’s Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things offers something slightly lighter – a 1972 horror-comedy following a theatre troupe whose ill-advised prank with a stolen corpse predictably awakens the undead.

It’s got a cult following for its mix of goofy charm and genuine creepiness, and Clark would later go on to direct Black Christmas and, oddly enough, A Christmas Story.

Horror Hospital

Horror Hospital is a British cult favourite from 1973, featuring Michael Gough as a mad doctor running a sinister clinic with grotesque plans for his patients.

It’s gloriously unhinged in that way only early 70s British horror could manage.

Orgy of the Dead

Orgy of the Dead was written by the legendary Ed Wood and directed by Stephen C. Apostolof. It’s a 1965 oddity that blends horror, burlesque, and dreamlike theatrics into something genuinely hypnotic – arguably more strange than shocking, but unmistakably cult.

A Clockwork Blue

A Clockwork Blue offers surreal, adult-themed parody with time-travelling misadventures and bawdy humour – a cheeky, anarchic slice of counterculture cinema.

Naughty!

Naughty! provides a lighter, cheekier contrast – a 1971 British adult comedy capturing the free-spirited flavour of the era with playful, risqué antics.

Specific broadcast dates and times for the After Hours content haven’t been announced yet, but expect very late-night slots with appropriate warnings.

Daytime: A Jack Rosenthal Comedy Block

The daytime schedule takes a gentler approach, with several series from the pen of BAFTA-winning writer Jack Rosenthal.

The Lovers

The Lovers starts January 5 at 12pm and 7pm, reuniting viewers with Richard Beckinsale and Paula Wilcox as Geoffrey and Beryl – the young couple whose relationship became a touchstone for a generation.

Beckinsale plays the earnest, slightly awkward Geoffrey opposite Wilcox’s independent, sharp-witted Beryl, and their chemistry remains as watchable now as it was in 1970.

The Dustbinmen

The Dustbinmen follows at 12.30pm and 7.30pm, also from January 5. Another Rosenthal creation, this one follows a crew of Manchester refuse collectors whose daily banter and mishaps made it a hit in the late 1960s.

Bryan Pringle leads as the gruff Cheese, alongside Trevor Bannister as Heavy Breathing and Graham Haberfield as the eager Smellie.

The Fenn Street Gang

The Fenn Street Gang kicks off the schedule block at 11.30am and 6.30pm from January 5.

This spirited spin-off from Please Sir! follows the former 5C pupils as they attempt to navigate adulthood with the same mischief as their school days. Peter Cleall, Carol Hawkins, David Barry, and Malcolm McFee return from the original series.

The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs

The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs arrives January 8 at 11am and 6pm, showcasing a young David Jason in one of his first starring roles.

Before Johnny English or Austin Powers, there was Edgar Briggs – a catastrophically inept secret agent whose misadventures make for wonderfully absurd viewing.

It’s an early example of the spy spoof genre and a reminder of just how long Jason has been making audiences laugh.

“Our mission has always been to honour classic British television, and this January’s lineup reflects that commitment,” says Rewind TV’s Jonathan Moore.

“These series are cultural touchstones, and we’re excited to share them with longtime fans and introduce their timeless humour to a new generation.”

For more news about TV and streaming, Subscribe to our free newsletter.