Netflix confirms when ads will start being shown while streaming

Netflix has confirmed the date when viewers could start having their bingeing sessions interrupted by adverts.

It's official – we've come full circle.

For years now, fans have enjoyed Netflix as an ad-free space away from 'normal' television, which allows us to watch and watch and watch until the little judgemental box pops up, asking 'are you still watching'?

Well, don't worry – the ability to stream multiple episodes in one night isn't going anywhere, but soon Netflix users might be momentarily pulled from the worlds of Stranger Things, Friends or Love Is Blind with adverts.

The streaming service has introduced ads as a way to offer users a cheaper subscription, and confirmed on Twitter today, 13 October, that the option would become available in the UK from next month.

Netflix wrote: "Enjoy your Netflix experience exactly as it is today? Great! Nothing about the way you watch Netflix is going to change. From November, Netflix will also be available from £4.99 in the UK. Basic with Ads, Netflix’s new lower priced ad-supported plan. A plan for every fan!"

The cheaper advert-supported plan will be called Basic with Adverts, and is set to launch on 3 November at 4.00pm.

It'll be available in 12 countries – Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US.

It'll feature alongside the already existing plans, which are advert-free – Basic, Standard and Premium – so if you're already happy with one of these plans, nothing will change.

So what will the advert-supported plan look like? Well, Netflix explains there will be an average of four to five minutes of adverts, each around 15 or 30 seconds in length, per hour.

Meanwhile, they say that a limited number of films or TV shows won't be available – this is down to licensing restrictions – which they are working on. You also won't be able to download titles.

You can still change or cancel your plan at any time, and the Basic with Adverts plan is available on a range of TV and mobile devices.

"Basic with Adverts is everything people love about Netflix, at a lower price, with a few adverts in-between," Netflix add.

"Starting in November, signing up will be easy – visit Netflix.com, and register with your email, date of birth and gender to get started.

"Basic with Adverts also represents an exciting opportunity for advertisers – the chance to reach a diverse audience, including younger viewers who increasingly don’t watch linear TV, in a premium environment with a seamless, high-resolution adverts experience."

Topics: Netflix, Film and TV

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.