TLDR
Sky Sports holds exclusive live rights to the Ashes in the UK. Your free options are BBC Radio TMS commentary via BBC Sounds and BBC Two highlights packages each evening. For live TV, a Now TV Sports day pass at around £11.99 is the cheapest way in. The Ashes in Australia (if touring in 2025-26) would air from roughly 11pm UK time.
This guide covers every way to follow the Ashes in the UK and the cheapest paid option if you want live TV coverage.
Insider Tip
TMS (Test Match Special) is at its absolute best during the Ashes. The commentary team goes to Australia and the late-night broadcasts from Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth have a genuinely different atmosphere. Download BBC Sounds and set it to play through the night. Plenty of UK cricket fans fall asleep to TMS during an Ashes tour.
Who Shows the Ashes in the UK?
Sky Sports holds the exclusive live rights to all England cricket in the UK including every Ashes Test match. This applies whether the series is in England or Australia. Sky’s deal runs through 2028.
There is no free live TV broadcast of Ashes cricket in the UK. The Ashes was removed from the list of protected sporting events in 2009 (it used to be listed alongside Wimbledon, the FA Cup Final, and the Grand National). Since then Sky has had exclusivity.
Free Option 1: BBC Radio TMS (Test Match Special)
BBC Radio TMS is free and the coverage is excellent. The BBC sends its full TMS team to Australia and provides live ball-by-ball commentary from the first session to the last.
How to access: Download BBC Sounds free from the App Store or Google Play. Search for “Test Match Special” or “5 Live Sports Extra”. Commentary is live and free throughout each day’s play.
For an away Ashes series in Australia, play starts at around 11pm-midnight UK time and finishes around 8-9am. TMS runs through the night. You can set it to play in the background while you sleep or check in during the night if a wicket falls.
Free Option 2: BBC Two Ashes Highlights
BBC Two shows a daily Ashes highlights programme. For a home series this airs in the evening. For an away Ashes series in Australia, the highlights programme typically airs the following morning after play finishes.
Available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast. A practical option if you do not want to stay up all night but want to watch the key moments from each day’s play.
Cheapest Way to Watch Ashes Live on TV
Now TV Sports day pass (£11.99). Full Sky Sports access for 24 hours. Useful for the first day of each Test when the action is freshest. Buy on the day you want to watch and cancel when it expires.
Now Sports Monthly Membership (£34.99/month). Better value if you want to watch multiple Tests across a series. Cancel at the end of the series.
For an away Ashes in Australia, the unusual timing (play overnight UK time) actually makes Sky Sports less compelling. Many fans find BBC TMS audio a more natural way to follow overnight Test cricket than staying up to watch the TV broadcast.
YouTube Highlights
Sky Sports posts short Ashes highlights clips on their YouTube channel, typically a few hours after the close of play. These are free and accessible without any subscription. Search “Ashes 2026” on the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
The ECB Official YouTube channel also posts match-day content and feature pieces on the Ashes throughout the series.
For the best cricket grounds to attend England home Tests, see the cricket grounds guide. For County Championship streaming options, see how to watch county cricket free.
Want Live Ashes Coverage?
Now TV Sports day passes give full Sky Sports access for £11.99 for 24 hours. Buy just for the days you want to watch. No contract required.
