Freeview users placed on red alert again as 24 hour warning issued to UK homes

It's another amazing weekend of weather with temperatures topping 28 degrees. That's clearly great for topping up the tan and firing up the BBQ, however, it's terrible for TV signals. A warning was issued last month when similar conditions affected homes using Freeview, now a new message has been posted urging millions of UK homes not to retune their tellies if there are reception issues.

So what's causing the gemlins? The culprit is another band of high-pressure that is currently sitting over the UK. Although it brings clear skies and warm conditions, it can also interfere with the signals Freeview uses to broadcast television channels to homes across parts of the country.

According to the BBC, high pressure can affect TV reception in two main ways. Firstly, it can weaken signals from local transmitters by lifting them higher into the atmosphere. Secondly, signals from more distant transmitters can travel further than usual and interfere with local broadcasts.

These weather conditions are expected to remain in place until Sunday night, prompting Freeview to issue an important warning to viewers.

In a new post, Freeview said: “Freeview viewers across the South Coast of England and parts of Wales could see some disruption to their TV reception from Friday the 29th to Sunday the 31st of May 2026. This is due to high pressure which could disrupt the TV signals which Freeview uses.”

Anyone hit by the issues must also follow advice and not start playing with the settings. All this will do is waste time and not make any difference, as the snag has nothing to do with TVs themselves.

"You are advised not to retune your TV during this time, reception will be restored once the high pressure passes," Freeview added.

This type of interference occurs periodically throughout the year, but there are several alternatives available if poor reception becomes frustrating.

One option is to switch to Freeview Play if you own a compatible internet-connected television. Instead of relying solely on an aerial, Freeview Play allows viewers to access live and on-demand programming through broadband.

Another solution is the Freeview mobile app, which is available to download free of charge from major app stores, allowing users to stream content on smartphones and tablets.

There is also a longer-term alternative: Freely. Developed by the same organisation behind Freeview and Freesat, Freely delivers television over a broadband connection rather than through traditional terrestrial broadcasts.

Because it relies on the internet instead of over-the-air signals, Freely is not affected by weather-related interference. The service provides access to more than 50 live and on-demand channels, alongside features such as live TV pause, personalised recommendations, and an interactive programme guide showing what's on now and coming up next.