diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Channel.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/Channel.jsx
index bbb5c40..d9f09a8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Channel.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Channel.jsx
@@ -79,39 +79,42 @@ export default function ChannelPage() {
 
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col gap-8">
-      {/* Banner */}
-      {channel.banner_url && (
-        <div className="-mx-4 -mt-6 mb-2">
-          <img src={channel.banner_url} alt="" className="w-full h-28 sm:h-44 object-cover" />
-        </div>
-      )}
-
-      {/* Channel header */}
-      <div className="flex items-start gap-5">
-        {channel.thumbnail_url ? (
-          <img
-            src={channel.thumbnail_url}
-            alt={channel.name}
-            className="w-20 h-20 rounded-full object-cover shrink-0"
-          />
-        ) : (
-          <div className="w-20 h-20 rounded-full bg-zinc-800 flex items-center justify-center text-3xl font-display font-bold text-zinc-400 shrink-0">
-            {channel.name?.[0]?.toUpperCase()}
-          </div>
+      {/* Channel header — banner with overlay, or plain if no banner */}
+      <div className={`-mx-4 -mt-6 relative ${channel.banner_url ? "" : "bg-zinc-900"} rounded-b-2xl overflow-hidden`}>
+        {channel.banner_url && (
+          <img src={channel.banner_url} alt="" className="w-full h-36 sm:h-52 object-cover" />
         )}
-        <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
-          <h1 className="font-display font-bold text-2xl text-zinc-100">{channel.name}</h1>
-          <p className="text-sm text-zinc-500 mt-1">
-            {[
-              formatSubs(channel.subscriber_count) && `${formatSubs(channel.subscriber_count)} subscribers`,
-              `${channel.video_count} videos indexed`,
-            ].filter(Boolean).join(" · ")}
-          </p>
-          {channel.description && (
-            <p className="text-sm text-zinc-400 mt-2 line-clamp-2">{channel.description}</p>
+        {/* Gradient overlay */}
+        <div className={`${channel.banner_url ? "absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/80 via-black/30 to-transparent" : ""}`} />
+
+        {/* Info row sits at the bottom of the banner */}
+        <div className={`${channel.banner_url ? "absolute bottom-0 inset-x-0" : ""} px-4 pb-4 pt-3 flex items-end gap-4`}>
+          {/* Avatar */}
+          {channel.thumbnail_url ? (
+            <img
+              src={channel.thumbnail_url}
+              alt={channel.name}
+              className="w-16 h-16 sm:w-20 sm:h-20 rounded-full object-cover shrink-0 ring-2 ring-black/40"
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <div className="w-16 h-16 sm:w-20 sm:h-20 rounded-full bg-zinc-800 flex items-center justify-center text-2xl sm:text-3xl font-display font-bold text-zinc-400 shrink-0">
+              {channel.name?.[0]?.toUpperCase()}
+            </div>
           )}
-        </div>
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-2 shrink-0 flex-wrap justify-end">
+
+          {/* Name + meta */}
+          <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
+            <h1 className="font-display font-bold text-xl sm:text-2xl text-white drop-shadow">{channel.name}</h1>
+            <p className="text-xs sm:text-sm text-zinc-300 mt-0.5 drop-shadow">
+              {[
+                formatSubs(channel.subscriber_count) && `${formatSubs(channel.subscriber_count)} subscribers`,
+                `${channel.video_count} videos indexed`,
+              ].filter(Boolean).join(" · ")}
+            </p>
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Action buttons */}
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-2 shrink-0 flex-wrap justify-end">
           {dlResult != null && (
             <span className="text-sm text-accent font-mono">
               {dlResult === 0 ? "Already up to date" : `${dlResult} queued`}
@@ -127,7 +130,7 @@ export default function ChannelPage() {
           <button
             onClick={() => indexMut.mutate()}
             disabled={indexMut.isPending || indexMut.isSuccess}
-            className="text-sm font-medium px-4 py-2 rounded-lg bg-zinc-800 text-zinc-300 hover:bg-zinc-700 transition-colors disabled:opacity-60"
+            className="text-sm font-medium px-4 py-2 rounded-lg bg-zinc-800/80 text-zinc-300 hover:bg-zinc-700 transition-colors disabled:opacity-60"
           >
             {indexMut.isPending ? "Indexing…" : indexMut.isSuccess ? "Done ✓" : "Re-index"}
           </button>
@@ -136,15 +139,21 @@ export default function ChannelPage() {
             disabled={followMut.isPending}
             className={`text-sm font-medium px-4 py-2 rounded-lg transition-colors ${
               isFollowed
-                ? "bg-zinc-700 text-zinc-300 hover:bg-zinc-600"
-                : "bg-zinc-800 text-zinc-300 hover:bg-zinc-700"
+                ? "bg-zinc-700/80 text-zinc-300 hover:bg-zinc-600"
+                : "bg-zinc-800/80 text-zinc-300 hover:bg-zinc-700"
             }`}
           >
             {isFollowed ? "Following" : "Follow"}
           </button>
         </div>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
+      {/* Description below banner */}
+      {channel.description && (
+        <p className="text-sm text-zinc-400 line-clamp-3 -mt-4">{channel.description}</p>
+      )}
+
       {/* Video grid */}
       {loadingVideos ? (
         <div className="flex items-center justify-center py-8">