5Action

5Action's programming and Freeview channel slot dates back to the days of Viacom's male-skewing channel Spike, which was launched on 15 April 2015 as a localised version of the American network of the same name. When Spike was launched it took the channel space of Viva, but was operated under the auspices of Channel 5's programming director Ben Frow. It primarily aired entertainment programmes, including action and drama series, police documentaries, and programming from its U.S. counterpart, as well as mixed martial arts.

On 31 October 2017, the channel became 5Spike after Viacom decided the channel should be more closely associated with its sister channels and the Channel 5 brand. On 7 January 2020, the brand was discontinued in line with Viacom's global company policy, with the channel taking on the name of its sister channel, Paramount Network, and with major change to its channel placement or programming.

On 19 January 2022, the channel was once again re-aligned to a Channel 5-specific brand, as 5Action to avert confusion with Paramount+.^[3][4] On 26 January 2022, 5Action shifted to Freeview 33 to accommodate the new iteration of BBC Three^[5] on 1 February 2022.^[6]

Viacom (ViacomCBS/Channel 5) operated two distinct versions of the free-to-air Paramount Network on Freeview (with the original pay-tv Paramount Channel becoming Comedy Central in 2009). The first version of the Freeview channel was launched on 4 July 2018^[15][16][17] as a sister channel to 5Spike,^[18] and with a high-definition feed exclusively on Virgin Media from 21 July 2018.^[19][20] It ceased to be available via satellite in Ireland on 13 July 2018 despite the channel being promoted to Irish viewers before launch^[21] (however, the channel could still be accessed via manual tuning on Sky in Ireland).

On 7 January 2020, Paramount Network was merged with 5Spike in its slots on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media, got its new branding, and subsumed its +1 timeshift channel on Sky.^[22] The timeshift channel ceased broadcasting on 14 July 2020.

Paramount Network rebranded as 5Action on 19 January 2022 in preparation for Paramount+ launching in the UK.