The Name You Know, The Lineup You’ll Love – SBS2 Returns

SBS Viceland rebrands as SBS2 on Friday 21 August, bringing the channel back under the SBS banner with a refreshed look and an expanded slate of the distinctive stories audiences love.

Aimed squarely at 25-54 audiences who are culturally curious and seeking programming that is smart, surprising, sexy and different, SBS2 is entertainment with real bite.

The rebrand marks the next chapter for the channel following the conclusion of SBS’s longstanding branding partnership with VICE Media. It also creates a clearer destination for younger, digitally engaged audiences across broadcast and streaming.

As audiences come to SBS for some of the biggest sporting and cultural moments of 2026, including the FIFA World Cup™ and Tour de France, SBS2 is preparing to return with an even bigger appetite for bold stories, surprising discoveries and television that sparks conversation.

While the name may be changing, the reason people watch isn’t.

Some might call it a facelift. Anne Hathaway would call it a tight braid.

SBS2 will continue serving up the distinctive mix of exclusive documentaries, sport, comedy and entertainment audiences already know and love, while broadening its appeal amongst audiences 25-54 through a richer mix of premium drama series, entertainment, fandom-driven content and shared viewing experiences.

The kind of television that makes viewers sit up, lean in and occasionally ask: “Can they show that?”

The answer is yes. It’s SBS.

SBS Acting Head of Network Programming, Natalie Edgar said: “SBS2 is about building on everything Australians already love about the channel while broadening its appeal for contemporary audiences.

“In an increasingly competitive media landscape, Australians have a strong connection with the SBS brand and our distinctive approach to storytelling.

“Bringing the channel back under the SBS banner creates a clearer destination for audiences across broadcast and streaming, while giving us greater opportunity to connect viewers with the stories, characters and cultural moments they won’t find anywhere else.

“Whether it’s premium drama, thought-provoking documentaries, live sport, entertainment or the next great obsession, it will be a place for audiences who are curious, passionate and looking to be entertained.”

Fresh look. Same appetite for great television.

The SBS2 launch slate is packed with compelling characters, big ideas, passionate fandoms, modern relationships and the kind of stories that make people immediately message a friend and say, “You have to watch this.”

Just like the channel, the schedule has also had a glow up. Designed to give audiences consistency, SBS2 will deliver a curated weekly rhythm that promises destination viewing. No more decision paralysis – Monday nights become entertainment-led, Tuesdays are dedicated to iconic films, midweek brings factual storytelling and Fridays will offer something a little more spicy.

Leading the line-up is the highly anticipated The Vampire Lestat, the new season of Interview With The Vampire, a series fans can sink their teeth into, alongside a slate spanning premium drama, documentaries, comedy, live sport and entertainment.

Fair warning: your watchlist is about to get longer.

Cult favourites to your new obsession

Some people are into starships. Some can talk about Quentin Tarantino films for three straight hours.

SBS2 doesn’t judge.

From celebrating 60 years of Star Trek with The Centre Seat: 60 Years of Star Trek to deep diving into the global Alone franchise, a Quentin Tarantino season and The Hunger Games franchise, SBS2 is home to the stories people genuinely love getting lost in.

We are also ready to turn your curiosity into obsession with addictive dramas lined up including The Dropout, Fleishman Is In Trouble and Minx.

People worth following

Behind every great story is someone worth following.

The SBS2 launch line-up features an eclectic mix of journalists, comedians, actors, scientists and storytellers, including Orna Guralnik (Couples Therapy), Sean Bean (Original Gangsters), David Duchovny (Secrets Declassified), Adam Hills (The Last Leg), Raven-Symoné (Scrabble) and Mayim Bialik (Celebrity Jeopardy!).

SBS favourite Danny Estrin of Voyager also swaps the Eurovision stage for the driver’s seat in Precious Metal: A Love Story, uncovering the stories, memories and passions hidden behind some of Australia’s most beloved cars.

Ideas worth exploring

The world isn’t getting any simpler. Luckily, curiosity never goes out of style.

From artificial intelligence and the future of work to hidden histories, engineering marvels and the forces shaping modern life, SBS2 continues to serve up stories that entertain while making audiences see the world a little differently.

The launch slate includes The Future with Hannah Fry, Will AI Take My Job?, Engineering By Catastrophe, History’s Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren and more.

Up close and unfiltered

SBS2 continues a long-standing SBS tradition of exploring intimacy, relationships and human connection through titles including Couples Therapy, The Naked World and Secrets of the Bunny Ranch.

Thoughtful, revealing and occasionally provocative, these are stories that go beyond the surface.

Live and loud

Live cycling. Stand-up comedy. Movie marathons. Special events. The occasional excuse to stay up far later than intended.

With La Vuelta, RAW Comedy, Asian All Stars Comedy Gala and a calendar of themed programming events, SBS2 is built for viewers who love shared cultural moments as much as discovering something unexpected.

Across drama, documentaries, comedy, entertainment, sport and culture, SBS2 is for audiences who are curious, passionate and always looking for their next fixation.

It’s the same fearless SBS spirit, now with an even bigger appetite.

Additional content announcements will be revealed in the lead-up to launch.

The change to SBS2 will take place at 5am AEST on Friday 21 August 2026.

ENDS

For further information and interview requests please contact:

Emma Blong | emma.blong@sbs.com.au | 0421 008 517

Jessica Parry | Jessica.parry@sbs.com.au | 0428 767 836

For a PDF of this media release, click here.