From the royal spectacle that captivated over 14 million viewers to the daily drama still pulling millions into its orbit, the UK's television landscape is a dynamic and divided world where traditional viewing habits are steadily declining while streaming services and big-event programming surge, reshaping how content is funded, made, and watched.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, UK linear TV viewing reached 42.6 billion hours annually, a 7% decline from 2022.
- The average UK adult watched 2 hours 51 minutes of TV per day in Q1 2024, down 5% year-on-year.
- ITV's Coronation Street averaged 4.2 million viewers per episode in 2023, making it the top soap opera.
- The UK TV advertising market generated £4.5 billion in revenue in 2023, up 6% from 2022.
- Public service broadcasters (PSBs) earned £15.2 billion total revenue in 2022, 48% from TV advertising.
- BBC's total income was £5.7 billion in 2022/23, with licence fee at £3.7 billion (65%).
- UK TV industry produced 38,500 hours of original content in 2022.
- PSBs commissioned 12,000 hours of original programming in 2023.
- Drama accounted for 22% of PSB peak-time output in 2023, totaling 2,800 hours.
- UK TV industry employed 182,000 people in 2022, with 40,000 in production.
- Freelance workers made up 48% of UK TV production workforce in 2023.
- Women held 51% of TV production roles in 2023, up from 47% in 2019.
- PSBs are 38% of TV viewing share, down from 75% in 2014.
- Netflix holds 38% of UK SVOD market share in 2024.
- UK FAST channels reached 12 million users monthly in 2023.
UK television viewing is declining while the industry remains profitable and transitions to streaming.
Audience & Viewership
- In 2023, UK linear TV viewing reached 42.6 billion hours annually, a 7% decline from 2022.
- The average UK adult watched 2 hours 51 minutes of TV per day in Q1 2024, down 5% year-on-year.
- ITV's Coronation Street averaged 4.2 million viewers per episode in 2023, making it the top soap opera.
- BBC One's peak audience for the King's Coronation coverage hit 14.5 million viewers on May 6, 2023.
- 18-34 year-olds in the UK spent 42 minutes daily on linear TV in 2023, vs 2 hours 12 minutes for over-65s.
- UK TV news consumption averaged 13.4 million viewers weekly across BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 in 2023.
- Sky Sports' Premier League coverage drew 4.1 million average viewers per live match in 2022/23 season.
- Children aged 4-15 watched 1 hour 45 minutes of TV daily in 2023, with CBBC leading at 12% share.
- UK households with TV sets stood at 24.5 million in 2023, 92% of all households.
- Streaming services captured 31% of total TV viewing share in the UK in H1 2024.
- BBC iPlayer's weekly reach hit 8.7 million users in Q4 2023, up 12% from 2022.
- ITV Hub+ (now ITVX) saw 1.2 billion streaming hours in 2023.
- Channel 4's streaming requests totaled 1.4 billion in 2023, 45% of total viewing.
- UK viewers over 65 spent 6 hours 12 minutes daily on TV in 2023.
- Strictly Come Dancing finale in 2023 peaked at 11.5 million viewers on BBC One.
- In 2023, UK linear TV viewing among 16-34s was 1 hour 12 minutes daily, a 15% YoY drop.
- EastEnders averaged 2.8 million viewers weekly in 2023 on BBC One.
- The Last of Us on Sky/Now peaked at 1.9 million viewers per episode in 2023.
- UK TV sports viewing totaled 10 billion hours in 2023.
- All4 app reached 14 million monthly users in 2023.
- Over-55s accounted for 58% of total TV viewing hours in 2023.
- Match of the Day averaged 3.4 million viewers in 2022/23 season.
- ITVX reached 30 million registered users by end-2023.
- Peak Eurovision Song Contest audience was 7.6 million on BBC in 2023.
- 22% of UK TV viewing was live in 2023, down from 45% in 2014.
Audience & Viewership Interpretation
The UK television industry finds itself in a peculiar state of genteel decline, like a beloved but slightly crumbling stately home: it still hosts magnificent, unifying events for the nation's living room, yet its daily halls are increasingly haunted by an ageing population while the younger heirs are busy streaming in the west wing.
Content Production
- UK TV industry produced 38,500 hours of original content in 2022.
- PSBs commissioned 12,000 hours of original programming in 2023.
- Drama accounted for 22% of PSB peak-time output in 2023, totaling 2,800 hours.
- UK factual/entertainment genres made up 35% of TV schedules in 2023.
- Children's programming hours on PSBs fell to 1,200 hours in 2023 from 1,500 in 2019.
- Independent producers supplied 52% of Channel 4's original content in 2023.
- BBC's scripted content investment totaled £1.2 billion in 2022/23.
- UK high-end TV drama production value averaged £3.5 million per hour in 2023.
- News and current affairs comprised 12% of ITV's output, 1,450 hours in 2023.
- Sky originals premiered 50 new series in 2023, including 20 dramas.
- Regional UK TV production outside London/Manchester was 15% of total hours in 2022.
- UK formats exported 250 titles to 120 countries in 2023.
- Sports rights costs for PSBs rose to £1.1 billion annually in 2023.
- Original UK content on Netflix UK library was 15% in 2023.
- Channel 5 produced 800 hours of new factual content in 2023.
- UK TV industry scripted 1,200 hours of drama in 2023, up 10%.
- PSB peak-time slots featured 28% UK-originated content in 2023.
- UK original content commissioned by platforms: 4,500 hours in 2023.
- Entertainment shows totaled 4,200 hours on PSBs in 2023.
- UK indie producers delivered 62% of BBC network content in 2023.
- Sports programming 8% of PSB hours, 1,000 hours in 2023.
- Channel 4 invested £250 million in unscripted content in 2023.
- 450 UK scripted series produced in 2023.
- News output on ITV: 1,200 hours in 2023.
- Sky commissioned 120 hours of originals from indies in 2023.
- Peak-time original content quota met at 95% by PSBs in 2023.
- UK TV formats sales value £250 million in 2023.
- Children's channels output 2,500 hours annually in UK.
- High-end TV exports to US valued at £800 million in 2022.
- Factual genres 28% share of Channel 5 schedule in 2023.
- PSBs' regional programming 9% of total output in 2023.
Content Production Interpretation
The UK television industry, in its glorious and expensive chaos, is a sprawling factory where 38,500 hours of original content are forged annually, with the BBC pouring a billion into scripts while Channel 4 bets a quarter-billion on unscripted, all as we export our wit for £250 million, spend over a billion to watch others play sports, and still manage to fret that the children are only getting 1,200 hours of our attention.
Employment & Skills
- UK TV industry employed 182,000 people in 2022, with 40,000 in production.
- Freelance workers made up 48% of UK TV production workforce in 2023.
- Women held 51% of TV production roles in 2023, up from 47% in 2019.
- BAME representation in TV production reached 15% in 2023.
- Average salary in UK TV production was £42,000 in 2022.
- 12,000 apprenticeships created in creative industries including TV since 2010.
- Disabled workers comprised 6% of TV workforce in 2023.
- London hosted 55% of TV production jobs, Scotland 8% in 2022.
- 25% growth in TV VFX jobs from 2019-2023, totaling 5,200 roles.
- ScreenSkills trained 10,000 TV workers in 2023.
- Entry-level crew roles saw 20% vacancy rate in 2023.
- LGBTQ+ representation in senior TV roles at 7% in 2023.
- UK TV production headcount grew 5% to 40,500 in 2022.
- 35% of TV directors were women in 2023, up from 25% in 2017.
- TV production workforce FTEs: 35,000 in indies 2022.
- 52% of crew roles female in scripted TV 2023.
- TV skills traineeships: 2,500 completed in 2023.
- Off-screen BAME roles 18% in 2023.
- Average freelance day rate £350 for TV production crew 2023.
- Northern Ireland TV jobs: 2,100 FTEs in 2022.
- VFX/animation TV roles grew 18% to 6,200 in 2023.
- 8% of TV executives disabled in 2023 survey.
- Wales TV production employment 1,800 people 2022.
- Head of department roles: 42% women in 2023.
- TV training spend by PSBs £50 million in 2023.
- Under-represented groups in TV: 22% overall 2023.
- Scotland TV jobs 4,200 in 2022.
Employment & Skills Interpretation
The UK TV industry is building a more diverse and skilled workforce from the ground up, one freelance contract and training scheme at a time, but it's a high-wire act balancing London's dominance, entry-level shortages, and the slow climb of under-represented groups into the executive suite.
Market Trends & Regulations
- PSBs are 38% of TV viewing share, down from 75% in 2014.
- Netflix holds 38% of UK SVOD market share in 2024.
- UK FAST channels reached 12 million users monthly in 2023.
- 55% of UK adults use ad-supported free streaming in 2024.
- Ofcom regulates 90% of UK TV channels under PSB quotas.
- Sky platform has 9.3 million TV subscribers in UK/Ireland 2023.
- Amazon Prime Video's UK subscribers hit 13 million in 2023.
- Virgin Media TV base at 3.7 million homes in 2023.
- UK TV market projected to £20.5 billion by 2027.
- 28% of TV viewing now time-shifted in UK 2023.
- Channel 4's publisher-broadcaster model approved by Ofcom in 2024.
- Discovery+ merged with Sky Q, reaching 5 million subs in 2023.
- UK ad market TV share fell to 22% in 2023 from 25% in 2020.
- 65% of 16-34s discover TV content via social media in 2024.
- PSB news impartiality complaints to Ofcom: 1,200 in 2023.
- Linear TV share 69% in 2023, SVOD 31%.
- Disney+ 17% SVOD share in UK 2024.
- 40% households have 4+ connected TV devices 2023.
- BT/EE TV subscribers 5.5 million in 2023.
- Ofcom TV complaints: 45,000 total in 2023.
- Now TV (Sky) broadband bundles 2.1 million 2023.
- UK TV market CAGR 2.5% to 2028.
- Ad VOD viewing up 25% to 15% share 2023.
- BBC licence fee freeze until 2027 per govt.
- Samsung TV OS 22% smart TV share UK 2023.
Market Trends & Regulations Interpretation
Once the unchallenged titan of the living room, UK television now resembles a frantic market square where PSBs shout to retain their patch amidst a bustling crowd of global streamers, free viewers, and regulators trying to keep the cobblestones from cracking.
Revenue & Economics
- The UK TV advertising market generated £4.5 billion in revenue in 2023, up 6% from 2022.
- Public service broadcasters (PSBs) earned £15.2 billion total revenue in 2022, 48% from TV advertising.
- BBC's total income was £5.7 billion in 2022/23, with licence fee at £3.7 billion (65%).
- ITV plc's revenue reached £4.2 billion in 2023, 57% from ITV Television.
- Channel 4's income totalled £1.07 billion in 2023, up 8% year-on-year.
- Sky UK's total revenue was £11.9 billion in FY2023, with content sales at £2.1 billion.
- UK TV production sector turnover hit £5.8 billion in 2022, employing 40,000 people.
- Streaming platforms invested £2.5 billion in UK original content in 2023.
- PSB linear ad revenue grew 10% to £3.8 billion in 2023.
- UK pay-TV subscriptions numbered 15.8 million in 2023, generating £6.2 billion.
- Licence fee revenue per BBC household averaged £169.50 in 2022/23.
- UK TV export revenue reached £1.2 billion in 2022, led by drama formats.
- Commercial broadcasters' total ad spend share for TV was 25.5% of all UK ad market in 2023.
- Netflix UK's content spend was £1.1 billion in 2022.
- UK SVOD market revenue projected to grow 8% to £3.4 billion in 2024.
- The total UK PSB advertising revenue was £4.1 billion in 2022.
- Licence fee collection rate was 88.5% of eligible households in 2022/23.
- UK TV production independent sector revenue up 12% to £3.2 billion in 2022.
- Comcast/Sky content revenue grew 9% to £2.8 billion in 2023.
- Public funding for Channel 4 stood at £0 (self-funded) in 2023.
- UK TV ad market grew 11.6% in Q4 2023 alone.
- Disney+ UK content investment £900 million in 2023.
- Total PSB group revenue £13.8 billion in 2022.
- Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) revenue £150 million in UK 2023.
- BBC commercial revenue £1.4 billion from international sales in 2022/23.
- ITV Studios distribution revenue £575 million in 2023.
- UK pay-TV ARPU averaged £45 per month in 2023.
- Warner Bros. Discovery UK ad revenue up 5% to £450 million in 2023.
Revenue & Economics Interpretation
Despite the fashionable gloom about television's demise, these figures reveal a robust and evolving ecosystem where traditional giants like the BBC and ITV still rake in billions, streamers are pumping cash into UK content as if it's a national sport, and the humble ad break, far from dead, is experiencing a rather lucrative second act.
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