TV viewership figures across the UK have shifted massively across the decades, and they continue to change with every passing year! With the UK TV market now flooded with hundreds of channels and streaming services, you might wonder how much TV we currently watch in the UK?
British TV Viewership Statistics
- Brits watch around 28 hours of TV every week. Equal to around 4 hours of TV viewing every day!
- Viewership is split between traditional broadcast TV and on-demand and streaming TV apps. However, on demand streaming is slowly taking over.
- 97% of UK households have a television.
- Older generations tend to prefer broadcast television. Ofcom research found that 95% of viewers over 65+ still prefer to tune into traditional TV.
- BBC TV channels still prove to be the most popular. In October 2024, the BBC had 48.8 million viewers across its channels for the month.
- ITV took up the second place position, with its channels achieving 42.6 million viewers for the same period.
- In a close third was Channel 4, which boasted a sizeable 42.4 million viewers for the same period.
How Much TV Do Children Watch?
Fewer children are now tuning into broadcast television than ever. In 2023, Ofcom research found that only 55% of children aged 4 to 15 tuned into broadcast telly. This is a significant drop when compared to just five years prior, when 81% of children 4 to 15 years old tuned into broadcast TV. [2]
As streaming services and social media become more and more popular, fewer and fewer children are tuning into broadcast television. Video-on-demand services offer instant gratification, allowing young viewers to find exactly what they want to watch right away, rather than having to wait for a designated broadcast time.
Amongst children, the most popular service proved to be Netflix, with the dedicated YouTube Kids platform coming in a very close second. [2]
YouTube and TikTok are particularly popular amongst young children. These platforms are immediately available on portable smart devices like tablets and smartphones, which many children now own. 2024 data showed that children spent around 127 minutes per day scrolling through videos on the platform! [6]
How Much TV Do Teenagers Watch?
Teenagers, likewise, are losing interest in traditional broadcast telly. Ofcom research in 2024 showed that less than half of 16 to 24-year-olds bother to tune into broadcast television on average. This is down from around 76% in 2018. [2]
Teenagers prefer the immediacy of on-demand sites, leading to a loss of interest in traditional telly. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are particularly popular among teenagers. 2024 research found that 24% of YouTube’s UK user base was made up of 16 to 24-year-olds. [3]
Interest in broadcast television has declined steadily amongst teenagers in the decade since the 2010s. With social media and streaming platforms now more accessible than ever, younger people are tuning into them much more regularly. Research found that amongst young people, broadcast TV viewership has fallen by 73% in the years since 2012. [4]
What Time Of Year Is TV Most Popular?
Broadcast TV viewership tends to be at its strongest during the winter months. During this period of time temperatures are at their coldest, and days are at their shortest. This leads to more time spent indoors where it’s warm! Christmas often proves to be a very significant time for TV viewing. Families often gather together on the sofa to enjoy some of the season’s biggest televised events or to settle in for the latest streaming hit.
During the summer, on the other hand, viewership tends to be much lower. Improved weather and a larger number of outdoor events mean fewer people spend their days inside. [5]
What Are The Most Popular TV Channels In The UK?
The most popular TV channels in the UK fall under the BBC umbrella. In October of 2024, BBC’s collective catalogue of channels achieved an immense viewership of around 48.8 thousand viewers.
In second place were ITV’s various channels. In the same October 2024 period, ITV’s channels accumulated a total of 42.6 thousand viewers. Channel 4 stayed close behind ITV, with its channels earning a viewership of 42.4 thousand in the same period.
Sky channels, which require a dedicated Sky subscription, proved incredibly popular during the 2024 period. Collectively, Sky channels drew 36.1 thousand viewers throughout October. [5]
How Many UK Households Have A TV Licence?
Ofcom research found that in March 2023, 24.4 million TV Licences had been issued in the UK. In the period from March 2022 to March 2023, TV Licences generated a truly immense £3.7 billion. [1]
Not every household with a TV has a TV Licence. Though such households are not legally able to watch live television on BBC channels, they can still enjoy streamed content, home media, or even gaming.
We have a couple of useful articles relating to this topic, for example, how much is a tv licence for pensioners?
What Do Brits Like Best on TV?
Despite broadcast TV viewership experiencing a steady decline, broadcasts of live events still draw massive viewership across the UK. In fact, a quick glance at some of the UK’s most-watched programmes in 2023 tells you a lot about what gets UK viewers tuning in.
In 2023, the UK’s most watched televised event was the Coronation of King Charles. With 12.8 million people tuning into BBC coverage. The Eurovision Song Contest came in at 3rd place, with 10.7 million viewers tuning into BBC to watch it. Channel 4 also set records with its coverage of The Great British Bake Off achieving 9.7 million viewers at its peak.
Drama television also still proves incredibly popular, especially amongst older audiences. Happy Valley was the most-watched drama programme on UK broadcast television in 2023, with 11.9 million viewers tuning in at the show’s peak. [4]
Streaming largely dominates the conversation when it comes to dramatic serialised storytelling. However, many drama shows on traditional broadcast television have proven to still be popular. Research has actually shown that viewers across demographics relish the opportunity to enjoy a collective national experience via television. [2]
References
[1] – finder.com
[2] – ofcom.org.uk
[3] – thesocialshepherd.com
[4] – bbc.co.uk
[5] – barb.co.uk
[6] – telegraph.co.uk
