For years, Virgin Media customers have watched Sky Atlantic from the sidelines. All those Game of Thrones watch parties, The Sopranos conversations at the office, Succession finale nights – and Virgin subscribers were left either missing out or paying for a separate Now subscription just to join in.
That changes on April 1, 2026, when Sky Atlantic finally arrives on Virgin TV at no extra cost, landing on Channel 111 for over a million customers.
It’s certainly good news for subscribers. But it’s also worth understanding what Sky Atlantic actually is in 2026 – because the channel has changed considerably from the one Virgin Media customers spent years wishing they could access – especially in light of the upcoming HBO Max UK launch.
Who’s Getting It
Sky Atlantic will be available to all Virgin TV 360 and Stream box customers who already receive Sky Entertainment channels as part of their package.
If you’re on one of Virgin’s standard TV bundles, you’ll likely already have Sky Entertainment channels like Sky Comedy and Sky Witness as part of your package, which means Sky Atlantic is coming to you automatically on April 1. No action required, no extra cost.
If you’re on Virgin’s flexible Flex bundle, you’ll need to have added the Essential Entertainment pack (which comes at an extra monthly cost) to qualify.
If you haven’t added it, Sky Atlantic won’t appear – but it could be worth reconsidering if the programming sounds appealing.
The channel will also be available on-demand and through the Virgin TV Go app, so you’re not limited to watching live.
What’s Actually On Sky Atlantic
The channel arrives with a solid lineup of both Sky Originals and HBO programming.
On the Sky side, you’ll find Under Salt Marsh – a new crime thriller starring Kelly Reilly and Rafe Spall, set in a small North Wales coastal town, which pulled in 1.8 million viewers in its first week.
There’s also Amadeus, a five-part limited series starring Will Sharpe as Mozart and Paul Bettany as an envious Salieri, and All Her Fault, a Sky Exclusive starring Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning, based on Andrea Mara‘s bestselling novel – available in full from April 1.
Coming later in April is The Miniature Wife, with Sweetpea returning for a second series later in the year.
On the HBO side, upcoming new seasons of shows that have been airing on Sky Atlantic – such as Euphoria, The White Lotus, and House of the Dragon – will continue to air on the channel.
And if you’ve somehow not yet watched The Last of Us, the first two seasons will be available too.
It’s a strong enough lineup. But here’s where things get a little more complicated.
Sky Atlantic Has Changed
Cast your mind back to Sky Atlantic’s golden era. This was the channel that brought UK viewers The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, Succession, and dozens of other HBO and prestige American dramas that defined what television could be.
Getting Sky Atlantic felt like getting access to the very best TV in the world.
That era is largely over – and not just for Virgin Media customers, but for everyone.
The big shift is that HBO Max is launching in the UK on March 26, just days before Sky Atlantic arrives on Virgin Media.
As part of the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and Sky, HBO shows that have already been airing on Sky Atlantic – like The Last of Us, Euphoria, and The White Lotus – will continue to have their new seasons air on the channel simultaneously with HBO Max.
But that’s where the overlap ends.
New HBO shows that haven’t previously aired on Sky won’t automatically come to Sky Atlantic. And the full back catalogue – all those past seasons of Game of Thrones, Succession, The Wire, and the rest – lives on HBO Max, not on the channel.
Sky Atlantic is increasingly a window for select new episodes rather than a comprehensive home for HBO content.
Over time, as the existing Sky/WBD deal eventually runs its course, it’s reasonable to expect HBO content to shift further towards HBO Max and away from linear channels like Sky Atlantic altogether.
So here’s the slightly bittersweet reality: Virgin Media customers spent years wanting Sky Atlantic, and now they’re finally getting it – just as it’s become a trimmed-down version of a channel that has already passed its peak.
It’s still worth having, and there’s genuinely good programming on it. But it’s not the prize it once was.
What About HBO Max on Virgin?
Here’s another piece of the puzzle worth flagging. Virgin TV 360 and Stream boxes will support HBO Max as a paid subscription when the service launches on March 26 – so you’ll be able to subscribe directly through your Virgin box.
But unlike Sky customers, who get HBO Max Basic with Ads bundled into their Sky Ultimate TV subscription at no extra cost, Virgin Media customers will need to pay separately for HBO Max if they want it.
HBO Max launches with four tiers:
- Basic with Ads – £4.99/month (two devices, Full HD, no new theatrical releases)
- Standard with Ads – £5.99/month (two devices, Full HD, includes new Warner Bros. films, 30 downloads)
- Standard – £9.99/month (ad-free, two devices, Full HD, 30 downloads)
- Premium – £14.99/month (ad-free, four devices, 4K, 100 downloads)
There are currently no bundling deals between Virgin Media and HBO Max – at least none that have been announced.
Whether Virgin eventually strikes a deal to offer HBO Max at a discount, or bundles it into certain packages the way Sky has, remains to be seen. For now, it’s a straight subscription at standard prices.
For Virgin customers who want the full HBO experience – all the back catalogue, all the new shows, all the films – HBO Max is where that lives, not Sky Atlantic.
The channel is the premium shop window; the streaming service is the full store.
Sky One Is Coming Too
Sky Atlantic isn’t the only Sky channel heading to Virgin this spring. Sky One is returning this week after a five-year absence, replacing Sky Showcase on Channel 109 – and Virgin Media customers are getting that too.
The relaunched Sky One is billed as the home of Sky’s comedy and entertainment programming, with new shows like The Dyers’ Caravan Park and Gemma Collins: Four Weddings and a Baby, alongside returning favourites and the upcoming Saturday Night Live UK.
So between Sky Atlantic and Sky One, Virgin TV customers are getting a meaningful upgrade to their channel lineup this spring – without paying anything extra, assuming they’re already on a package that includes Sky Entertainment channels.
The Bigger Picture
Virgin Media has been quietly building out its content offering over the past few years – especially with free, ad-supported channels.
We’ve recently covered the addition of free FAST channels like Rakuten TV Drama, Comedy and Sci-Fi, as well as the arrival of free streaming services like Tubi.
Sky Atlantic represents a step up in a different direction – premium, subscription-tier content rather than free ad-supported channels.
David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Our promise to our customers is simple – to offer seamless entertainment at incredible value – and the addition of Sky Atlantic on Virgin TV is testament to that.”
For Virgin Media customers who’ve been waiting years for Sky Atlantic, April 1 can’t come soon enough. Just go in with realistic expectations about what the channel is today, and there’s still plenty to enjoy.
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Interesting to note Game Of Thrones has been on Virgin since last September under “Sky Showcase” , so has Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, The Sopranos , The Pacific, Band Of Brothers and Big Little Lies until they expire on 25th March.