Netflix UK viewers now turn to streamer before BBC, Ofcom says
Ofcom says 26% of UK viewers pick Netflix first, narrowly ahead of the BBC, as streaming keeps reshaping British TV habits.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Netflix UK viewers now make the streaming service their first stop more often than the BBC, according to Ofcom’s latest Media Nations report, giving the American platform a narrow lead in Britain’s battle for attention.
The UK regulator said 26% of viewers in 2025 named Netflix as the place they go first when deciding what to watch. The BBC followed at 25%, with ITV on 15% and YouTube on 10%.
That is a switch from the previous year, when Ofcom recorded the BBC at 28% and Netflix at 23%. Ofcom said changes to its methodology mean the year-on-year comparison should be treated as indicative rather than exact.
What does Ofcom Media Nations say about Netflix and the BBC?
Ofcom’s Media Nations report tracks how people in the UK watch and use television, streaming and online video. In the latest report, Netflix edged ahead of the BBC as the first choice for viewers overall, while the BBC remained much stronger among the oldest audiences.
The split by age shows just how different the TV habits are. Among 16-to-24-year-olds, 36% chose Netflix first, compared with 14% for the BBC. Among people over 75, only 5% picked Netflix first, while 48% turned first to the BBC.
The findings land after a run of high-profile UK-facing Netflix hits including Adolescence, The Gentlemen and Baby Reindeer. Ofcom also found that more adults linked Netflix than the BBC with “high quality content,” “content that is relevant to me” and “creative content.” YouTube also beat the BBC on the “creative content” measure.
The BBC did better on some public-service measures. Ofcom said adults were more likely to associate the BBC than Netflix or YouTube with “content that offers a different point of view from my own.”
British drama remains a BBC strength in the report. Ofcom found 66% of adults associated the BBC with British drama, compared with 24% for Netflix and 28% for Channel 5, now branded as 5.
Older viewers also increased their streaming drama habits in 2025, according to Ofcom. Average annual hours spent watching drama on streaming platforms rose 56% among over-75s to 36 hours per person. For 55-to-74-year-olds, the figure climbed 28% to 85 hours per person.
The fight for the year’s biggest titles was close. Ofcom said the BBC and Netflix each had four entries in the top 10 most-watched programmes of 2025. KPop Demon Hunters led the list with 24.4 million viewers, followed by Adolescence, whose most-watched episode drew 16 million, and the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors with 14.8 million.
How much money are streamers making in the UK?
Ofcom said major streaming services grew UK revenues by 18% to £5.2 billion. The regulator attributed that rise to subscription price increases rather than growth in subscriber numbers.
The report also said advertising-supported tiers at services including Netflix and Disney+ grew quickly during the period. Pay-TV revenues rose 4% to £6.2 billion.
Ofcom reported a record year for third-party funding of broadcaster content, despite industry concerns over scripted co-productions. That funding rose by more than 10% to £748 million.
Examples cited include The Night Manager, from the BBC and Prime Video, and Richard Gadd’s Half Man, made for the BBC and HBO. Ofcom said third-party funding includes co-productions, the UK high-end TV tax credit and distributor advances.
Around two thirds of that third-party spending went to drama, Ofcom said, though factual and children’s programming also saw increases. The regulator warned that challenges remain because the global streaming market continues to favour projects with international appeal and full rights ownership.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.