Netflix has overtaken the BBC as Britain’s most-watched television choice, with 26% of viewers selecting Netflix compared with 25% for the BBC, according to Ofcom’s annual Media Nations report.

There are clear age patterns: 36% of 16–24s pick Netflix first, while only 5% of those over 75 do so, with the BBC still ranking highest among the over-75s at 48%.

Aning Ofcom survey shows Netflix is now as likely as the BBC to be the first platform consulted when deciding what to watch.

Average daily YouTube viewing on TVs rose to 19 minutes per person in 2025 from 9 minutes in 2022, while total YouTube viewing across devices increased to 41 minutes per day.

Subscription streaming services are present in roughly 70% of British homes, with growth plateauing after the COVID-19 surge.

Third-party funding for UK broadcaster content hit a record £748 million in 2025, up over 10%, funding projects across drama, factual, and children’s programming.

The findings reflect changing viewing habits and rising competition between streaming services and traditional broadcasters.

Viewing of broadcaster-owned streaming services (BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 Streaming, and 5) rose 9% year on year, becoming the fastest-growing TV service category.

Major live events still draw large audiences, with England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina delivering a peak of 24 million across BBC platforms.

Around 70% of Britons watched content from traditional broadcasters for at least 15 minutes weekly in 2025, down from previous years, signaling a shift in viewing habits.

UK TV revenues in 2025 rose, with Netflix/Disney+-style platforms up 18% to £5.2 billion and pay-TV revenues up 4% to £6.2 billion.

Older viewers increased streaming drama consumption, with over-75s averaging 36 hours per year (up 56%), and 55–74s at 85 hours per year (up 28%).