The network focuses on documentaries, comedy and drama, with a range of original content such as Rich Kids Go Skint and Young, Dumb & Banged Up in the Sun, along with some American and Australian imports.

The channel adopted a unique on-air presentation featuring a "cursor" motif, which typed out words related to programs and current events.

[citation needed] When some of these new programmes failed to make an impact in the channel's ratings, several were dropped and replaced by new locally produced and acquired programming.

[11] Continuing the channel's venture into reality based programming, Tallafornia was acquired from Ireland's TV3 and this was soon joined by Bar Rescue, World's Worst Tenants and Top 20 Funniest in 2014.

[13] The channel returned later, launching on Freesat on 16 September 2014 and Sky in the UK and Ireland on 4 November 2014, replacing BET +1 on the platform.

5Star also picked up the free-to-air television rights of streaming series The Act (from StarzPlay via Amazon) which increased its viewing figures on 5Star with each episode broadcast,[18][19] and Dirty John (also available on Netflix).

Programmes debuting new episodes on the channel in November 2021 included Filthy House SOS[29][30][31] and Oxford Street 24/7,[32][33][34] while Nick Knowles' Better Homes[35] is a new show from the presenter of Channel 5's Big House Clearout[36] and Our Secret World was a new commission produced by Viacom Studios UK,[37] featuring Babestation stars like Atlanta Moreno and Jess West enjoying their leisure time in a reality TV format.

[40] From 8 November 2021, after Ofcom approved an hour-long 5 News at 5 on the main channel to fit in Eggheads[41] at 6.30pm,[42][43][44] the early evening repeat of Home and Away[45] moved to 5Star, with the Australian soap now being broadcast in an hour-long slot from 6pm, with the repeat scheduled back-to-back with the 'first look' episode (though the soap went on its regular winter break on Monday 22 November, with the slot being used for repeats of Shoplifters & Scammers: At War with the Law and family films, until a new episode of the soap was broadcast on New Year's Eve).

The highest rating for the channel is held by Big Brother: Live from the House, when it received just over one million viewers and an audience share of over five percent in 2013.