Etisalat’s StarzOn platform is getting a kids-focused FAST channel from Warner Bros. Discovery, and it starts with The Amazing World of Gumball on 1 October. Cartoon Network is also queuing up a new season, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, which premieres on Cartoon Network HD on 6 October. Families get a 24/7 slate featuring Ben 10, Teen Titans Go, and Scooby Doo, with quarterly refreshes to keep things moving.
What’s launching and when
Gumball streams on the new WBD kids FAST channel via Etisalat StarzOn from 1 October. The new season arrives on Cartoon Network HD from 6 October.
- FAST channel start: 1 October
- Gumball catalogue streaming: from launch day
- New season title: The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball
- New season premiere: 6 October on Cartoon Network HD
- Availability: Etisalat StarzOn platform in the UAE
Warner Bros. Discovery and Etisalat have teamed up to bring a kids-focused Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television channel to StarzOn. The channel opens with The Amazing World of Gumball on 1 October. A few days later, Cartoon Network HD airs the seventh season, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, starting 6 October.
What’s new about the season
It’s a fresh chapter that keeps the show’s oddball spirit. Same town of Elmore. More bendy reality. More chaos for the Wattersons.
- Studio: Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
- Awards lineage: BAFTA Children’s, International Emmy, Annie
- Setting: Elmore, with reality doing cartwheels
- Tone: weirder, funnier, still family-centric
Cartoon Network teased The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball as a continuation of the award-winning series. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, it returns to Elmore where the show’s elastic logic holds. Expect Gumball Watterson’s everyday disasters, just dialled up a notch.
The 24/7 kids slate on StarzOn
It’s not only Gumball. The FAST channel runs round-the-clock with favourites and rotates the slate every quarter.
- Shows named: Ben 10, Teen Titans Go, Scooby Doo
- Format: curated 24/7 programming
- Refresh: quarterly updates
- Goal: keep things dynamic for families
The new StarzOn channel will pull from Warner Bros. Discovery’s catalogue and serve a steady diet of modern hits and classics. Named titles include Ben 10, Teen Titans Go, and Scooby Doo, with quarterly changes to stop the schedule going stale.
How families in the UAE can watch
Use Etisalat’s StarzOn platform to access the WBD kids FAST channel from 1 October. New Gumball season airs on Cartoon Network HD from 6 October.
- No subscription note was provided in the release
- FAST = free ad-supported linear streaming
- New episodes air on CN HD, not inside the FAST feed
- October is positioned as “Gumball season” to year end
The release frames October through year end as “Gumball season,” with back-to-back catalogue streaming and a new run arriving days later on the pay TV channel. It doesn’t list device support or app steps, so check your StarzOn box or app.
Why this matters for parents
It’s free-to-watch linear streaming for kids on StarzOn plus a new Gumball season on CN HD, which spreads content across two places. Plan screen time and channel hopping accordingly.
- Free ad-supported channel: kid-safe, always on
- New episodes: on Cartoon Network HD from 6 October
- Mix of old and new: easy entry for first-timers
- Regular refresh: new blocks each quarter
Between a 24/7 FAST channel and a premium channel premiere, families get constant access without paying extra for the catalogue. New episodes sit on Cartoon Network HD, so you’ll need the channel in your TV package to watch the fresh stuff on time.
When does Gumball start streaming on StarzOn?From 1 October on Warner Bros. Discovery’s kids FAST channel within Etisalat’s StarzOn platform.
When does the new season premiere on Cartoon Network?From 6 October on Cartoon Network HD.
What is the new season called and who produces it?It’s The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
What other shows are on the StarzOn kids channel?The slate includes Ben 10, Teen Titans Go, and Scooby Doo, with quarterly refreshes.
Is this free?It’s a FAST channel, which means free with ads. The release doesn’t provide subscription details for StarzOn or CN HD. Check your Etisalat plan for access.
What this means
Warner Bros. Discovery’s move signals how FAST channels are becoming a bigger piece of the UAE streaming mix. By starting with a popular brand like Gumball, the company ensures quick traction with kids and families, while also testing how ad-supported linear streaming holds up against subscription platforms.
For Etisalat, it strengthens StarzOn’s position as more than just a carrier add-on. And for parents, it means content is fragmenting further: the library streams free, but the newest episodes still sit behind a premium channel. The strategy is a balancing act between reach, monetisation, and keeping traditional pay TV relevant in a region where streaming adoption is accelerating.
