Catch-Up TV Ad Blocker for UK Broadcaster Services

Which UK services are covered

UK broadcasters run free catch-up platforms funded by advertising. When these players load in a desktop browser and request the Google IMA SDK, AdOff intercepts the request and serves a local stub instead. The services covered today:

• BBC iPlayer (bbc.co.uk, bbc.com)
• ITV and ITVX (itv.com, itvx.com)
• Channel 4 (channel4.com)
• Channel 5 (channel5.com)
• My5 (my5.tv)
• Pluto TV and Tubi, both available in the UK market

How it works on a catch-up player

Most UK catch-up players integrate the Google IMA SDK to schedule pre-rolls and mid-rolls. AdOff redirects the request for the SDK script to a stub bundled with the extension. When the player calls the stub to start an ad break, the stub immediately answers "content resume requested": the player believes the break has finished and carries on with the programme.

This happens locally in your browser. Nothing is downloaded twice and the video stream itself is untouched — only the ad orchestration layer is neutralised.

Why catch-up TV is different from subscription streaming

Broadcaster catch-up platforms are free to watch because they carry advertising. That makes their ad pipeline standardised: they rely on the same SDK that thousands of websites use. Subscription platforms instead stitch ads into the video stream server-side, which a browser extension cannot touch. Catch-up TV is therefore the segment where in-browser ad neutralisation genuinely works.

What AdOff does besides the video player

The extension also ships 180 static network rules that block requests to advertising and tracking domains, plus a cosmetic CSS/DOM filter that hides ad banners, overlay boxes and promotional tiles on the broadcaster's own pages. The result is a cleaner iPlayer, ITVX or Channel 4 page before you even press play.

Limitations you should know about

Coverage is real but conditional:

• If a broadcaster moves to server-side ad insertion (SSAI), the ad is stitched into the video stream itself and the SDK stub has no effect.
• AdOff works in the desktop browser only — not in native apps, smart TVs or set-top boxes.
• Some live streams and sports use different delivery pipelines.
• Broadcasters update their players frequently, so coverage is maintained over time rather than fixed forever.

Free, no account, works in five browsers

AdOff is a Manifest V3 extension, completely free, with no registration and no trial period. It runs on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera. Install it, keep the protection toggled on, and open your catch-up service as usual.

Frequently asked questions

Does this work on BBC iPlayer?

In most cases yes, when iPlayer runs ads through the Google IMA SDK in the browser. AdOff replaces that SDK with a stub that resumes the programme immediately. BBC iPlayer has relatively few ad breaks compared with ITVX, so the practical difference varies by programme.

Can I remove ads on ITVX without paying for Premium?

AdOff neutralises the ad SDK in the ITVX web player, so in most cases pre-rolls and mid-rolls do not play. ITVX Premium is a separate commercial product with additional channels and ad-free streaming; AdOff does not interact with your account at all.

Does it work on the ITVX or iPlayer mobile app?

No. AdOff is a browser extension and only acts on pages loaded in a desktop browser. Native mobile apps, smart TV apps and cast sessions are outside its reach.

Will my catch-up account get flagged?

AdOff runs locally and does not modify requests to the broadcaster's content servers — only the ad SDK script is substituted. It does not log into anything, but no tool can promise how a third-party platform will behave, so use it at your own discretion.

Does AdOff cost anything?

No. The extension is completely free, with no account, no trial and no paid tier. All features, including the video ad neutralisation on catch-up platforms, are included from installation.

More on this: How streaming ad blocking works, IMA SDK ad blocking explained, TV streaming ad blocker overview.