Ahhh… there’s nothing like plonking yourself down in front of the telly after a long day. And nothing says “sit back and relax” quite like live telly. Coming across that film that you’d always meant to watch, finding yourself unexpectedly drawn to a documentary or rediscovering a TV sitcom you haven’t seen in ages – all without scrolling through a long menu of options – feels refreshingly simple.

This is the joy of the Pluto TV app, which is crammed with over 150 live channels you can simply dip into at any time, all at no extra cost. And we’ll show you how easy it is to navigate it.

How to access the Pluto TV app with Virgin TV

Customers with a Virgin TV V6 box may have explored the app already but we’re now offering the Pluto TV app to Virgin TV 360 and Stream customers. Here’s how you can get involved.

To find a fantastic bundle of entertainment all in one place, head to Apps & Games and click on the Pluto TV app.

From there, all the Pluto TV channels are arranged in genres or themes so it’s a breeze to find the show or film to match your mood. Pluto TV is a whole world of entertainment: from channels devoted to crime, sci-fi and beloved series like CSI to movie channels serving horror, romcoms and family favourites… it’s all here.

What to watch on the Pluto TV app

The fun starts with the brilliant live channels you can find on Pluto TV. As all the content is live, you won’t be able to pause, record, rewind or fast-forward any of the shows or films. Instead, just drop in on any of the channels whenever you want (though you might get so engrossed that you find it hard to leave).

Keep scrolling for a sample of all the channels you can find at the touch of a button.

5 Cops

If you’re a real-life police show devotee, you’ll love dipping into this channel, devoted entirely to those factual series. See police officers taking on petty street crime, drug busts and car chases, and you can follow along with elite police units across the UK in 10 series of Police Interceptors or the high-speed action of Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders.

5 Emergency Rescue

There is no drama greater than a medical emergency, and this channel offers hours of compelling medical reality shows that will have you on the edge of your seat. Some programmes capture the high-octane stakes involved in a medical rescue, such as Ambulance: Code Red, Emergency Bikers and Chopper Squad. Others, like Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts and A&E After Dark, follow the journey of patients, nurses and doctors as they share their incredible stories of life and death.

Dog The Bounty Hunter

Dip in to this channel to spend time with Duane “Dog” Chapman as he tracks down and arrests people across the US once they violate the terms of their bail agreements. As he works with his extended family, we’re also given plenty of insights into his chaotic home life – as well as his unexpectedly compassionate wisdom.

CSI

The CSI franchise is a bonanza for those who love a good detective drama, with every episode an opportunity to practice deductive reasoning, brush up on forensic science and check in on your favourite characters. And there are so many brilliant series available on this channel, from the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as well as spin-offs CSI: Miami (pictured) and CSI: New York.

Judge Judy

This courtroom reality TV show first aired back in 1996 but still draws a crowd, possibly because of sensational cases involving ex-lovers and neighbours at war, but more likely because of the show’s celebrity magistrate, Judge Judy Sheindlin. All rise, then, for a whole channel devoted to the tough, straight-talking judge who presided over small-claims disputes with equanimity and a permanently raised eyebrow.

Ghost Hunters

Have you experienced unexplained noises or other goings-on in your house? Then the investigators of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) are ready to investigate. Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson and their team visit numerous locations – there are more than 200 episodes of the show – across the United States and beyond, armed with hi-tech equipment designed to detect paranormal activity. Sometimes there’s a rational explanation. But sometimes their evidence will surprise and unsettle you…

Married With Children

Before he became Jay Pritchett in Modern Family, Ed O’Neill played put-upon patriarch Al Bundy, embittered by his failed football career and dead-end job and outmanoeuvred by his spendthrift wife Peggy (Katey Sagal, Futurama) and ditzy daughter (Christina Applegate, Dead To Me). The show delivers plenty of nostalgic appeal as well as these familiar faces, so it’s a pleasure to settle down in front of a channel devoted to the long-running series.

Homicide Hunter

This American crime documentary series delves into the extraordinary career of Colorado-based police detective Joe Kenda, who solved over 350 real-life cases. And with nine seasons available to watch on this channel, you can dive into the nitty-gritty of each fascinating episode, brought to life with a dramatisation of the crime and Kenda’s deadpan narration.

Pluto TV Movies

Make a beeline for this channel to discover a treasure trove of films. There’s so much to discover, from cutting-edge independent films to fascinating documentaries, creepy thrillers, hilarious comedies and touching dramas. We’ve put together some of July’s highlights below.

JFK

Director Oliver Stone (Platoon) reignited the public’s fascination about the assassination of President John F Kennedy with his controversial film JFK. This dramatisation explores the findings of the district attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner, Dances With Wolves) who investigated the case and was convinced that Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman, The Dark Knight) did not act alone.

Elektra

Don’t miss the chance to enjoy this action-fuelled Daredevil spin-off, starring a high-kicking, cat-suited Jennifer Garner (Juno). As the soothsayer assassin Elektra, she is tasked with protecting both her new boyfriend and his daughter from a deadly ninja crime syndicate.

The Internship

When is it not a joy to come across Owen Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums) on screen? In sweet-natured comedy The Internship, he buddies up with Vince Vaughan (The Break-Up) as laid-off car salesmen competing with much younger interns at Google.

Mr Right

You won’t be able to resist the joyful silliness of this romcom with Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) who discovers that her new boyfriend Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) is a reformed hitman on the run from several crime cartels.

The Cannonball Run

Released in 1981, this fun movie is studded with wacky races and all-star appearances, including Burt Reynolds (Deliverance), Jackie Chan (Rush Hour), Farrah Fawcett (Charlie’s Angels), Roger Moore (The Spy Who Loved Me) and many more. Sit back and watch the mayhem unfold as the characters embark on an outlawed cross-country road race.

Abduction

In this action thriller, Taylor Lautner (Twilight) plays a teenager who discovers his life isn’t what he thought it was – and is soon desperately trying to escape the terrorists who are after vital intelligence left to him by his CIA operative father. Lily Collins (Emily in Paris) adds romantic frisson and Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) brings plenty of menace.

Bloodsucking B*stards

If you’re in the mood for a film that skirts the line between horror and parody, try to catch this uproarious film. You’ll never visit the stationery cupboard alone again once you’ve watched a vampire infestation break out in an unassuming sales office… Bonus: it stars Pedro Pascal before he found huge fame in The Mandalorian and The Last Of Us.

The Illusionist

In this suspenseful drama, set in Vienna at the very start of the 20th century, Edward Norton (Fight Club) turns to the dark side of magic. His goal? To win back his childhood love, played by Jessica Biel (The Sinner), now pledged to marry the dangerous Crown Prince Leopold.

A Bronx Tale

Thoughtful and sensitive, this film marked Robert de Niro’s directorial debut. The Oscar winner also stars in the charming coming-of-age story about a young man choosing between a life of crime and the moral example set by his father.