UKTV achieved record SOCI (Share of Commercial Impacts) of 8.52%, up from 8.07% in 2020
UKTVs network share grew by 4% to achieve 4.80%
Six out of the top 10 shows across the network were UKTV Originals: Annika (Alibi), Meet the Richardsons (Dave), Secrets of the London Underground (Yesterday), Hornby: A Model World (Yesterday), Bangers and Cash (Yesterday), and Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable (Dave)
Drama celebrated its best year on record, up 11% in share of viewing
Dave saw a 14% uplift in 16-34s and won Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards
UKTV Play added one million registered users
Thursday 13th January 2022 UKTV enjoyed a year of record growth in 2021, achieving its best-ever SOCI (share of commercial impacts) and network share for its seven channel portfolio - Dave, Drama, Gold, Yesterday, W, Eden and Alibi - and growing views to its on demand service UKTV Play.
UKTVs CEO, Marcus Arthur, said:
UKTV experienced strong growth in 2020 and to continue that momentum through 2021 is an incredible achievement. Our award-winning slate of UKTV Originals keeps going from strength to strength, with originations featuring six times in the top 10 shows across the network. UKTVs drama commissioning has also reached new heights, with critically acclaimed Annika breaking records on Alibi, and shows such as Ragdoll exciting audiences in the UK and internationally. And of course, our hit originals are supported by premiere acquisitions and the very best BBC content, helping to fuel the success of our channels, with Dave winning Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards. In 2021 we also launched UKTVs new digital content strategy with bespoke short-form commissions airing on Daves YouTube channel and Facebook page, acting as a gateway for younger viewers to engage with the brand and access our shows. As we look forward to 2022, we will continue UKTVs growth trajectory by working closely with domestic and international production partners, investing smartly in content, and expanding the footprint of our much-loved brands.
Share of Commercial Impacts (SOCI)
UKTV achieved a record network SOCI of 8.52% in 2021, with 5.7% year-on-year growth. Ten out of the 12 months of the year celebrated record SOCI (February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, November and December) with Drama leading the channel pack by achieving SOCI growth of 14.1%.
UKTV network share and channels growth
UKTVs seven channel network grew its viewing share by 4% in 2021 to 4.80% (up from 4.63% in 2020), marking UKTVs highest share to date for its current portfolio of channels. Drama also celebrated its best year on record, with adult share up 11% and ABC1s up 14% year-on-year. Gold was up 7% on its 2020 share and enjoyed its biggest Q1 and summer since 2013. Alibi also saw a 5% uplift in share.
Dave delivered significant 16-34 share growth in 2021, outperforming the market. It increased its 16-34 viewing share by 14% year-on-year, helped by strong launches for a wave of new comedy entertainment shows which have seen Mel Giedroyc, Richard Ayoade and David Mitchell join Big Zuu and others on the channel.
Programming
UKTV Originals continued to be leading lights on the network, accounting for six of the top 10 shows in 2021 (based on 4+ 7 Day Dovetail, Max 000s). Annika headed the pack, becoming Alibis top performing title of all time (1.32m Total Consumption). It was joined by Meet the Richardsons (Dave) Secrets of the London Underground (Yesterday), Hornby: A Model World (Yesterday), Bangers and Cash (Yesterday) and Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable (Dave).
Dave enjoyed success with a string of new and returning commissions. Meet the Richardsons S2 (1m), Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable (801k), Late Night Mash (489k) and Outsiders (530k) all placed in the top five shows on the channel, alongside QI XL. Daves original output also achieved award recognition, with three shows winning Broadcast Digital Awards, including Big Zuus Big Eats which won Gamechanger of the Year and was nominated for prestigious BAFTA and RTS awards.
Yesterday achieved a similar feat with UKTV originals accounting for the top five shows on the channel, including the launch of Secrets of the London Underground which become the highest rating show in the history of the channel, averaging an impressive 737k across the series. Hornby: A Model World was a close runner up representing Yesterdays second biggest launch to date and attracting 754k (partial TC) across its series run. Bangers and Cash S4, Secrets of the Transport Museum and The Architecture the Railways Built S2 rounded out the top five shows on the channel.
Alibi continued to ramp up its drama commissioning credentials with Black Camels Annika, starring Nicola Walker, becoming UKTVs most successful show of 2021, and Sid Gentles dark drama Ragdoll, watched by 487k to date (partial Total Consumption). Acquisitions also performed well on the channel, with standout performances from Hudson and Rex S3 (591k), Smother (525k) and Deception (424k).
Gold continued to feed the nations love of comedy, with The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out, becoming the channels most popular show of the year, watched by 829k. Its the biggest retrospective to air on the channel since The Story of Only Fools & Horses in 2017. Scripted original, Murder, They Hope took the second spot (687k), followed by returning scripted series The Cockfields (490k). The Cockfields Christmas Special and Sandylands S2 also delivered in the channels top 10 shows of the year, alongside BBC classics Mrs Browns Boys and Vicar of Dibley.
On W, MasterChef Australia (305K) and UKTV Originals Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over S2 (477k) and Emma Willis: Delivering Babies in 2020 (346k) were in the top five shows on the channel and Delivering Babies continued its award success by winning a third consecutive Broadcast Dig
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
Built from the same recordings as flagship library
Sonuscore's LUX Orchestral Strings has been met with widespread praise since its launch in late 2025,...
05/06/2026
High-end converter, interface & headphone amp upgraded
Said to represent the next evolution of RME's all-in-one reference converter concept, the all-new...
05/06/2026
Win a Soundgas Type 636P & Type G preamps
Soundgas, one of the UK's leading vintage and boutique audio equipment specialists have just announced the lau...
05/06/2026
New leadership of Technology Systems Division at Rohde & Schwarz On July 1, 2026, Hansj rg Herrbold and Andreas H gele will take over as Executive Vice Presid...
05/06/2026
Hitachi and Intel announced a strategic collaboration to explore opportunities t...
05/06/2026
RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin
Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
03/06/2026
Step sequencer-style panning tool revealed
Alongside their flagship self-titled sound-design platform, Sound Particles offer an array of creative effects an...
03/06/2026
Now features full H90 algorithm library
Eventide have announced the upcoming launch of the H9 Harmonizer Gen 2, a new and improved version of their hugely p...
03/06/2026
Significant discount available until 1 October 2026
Aim Audio have just announced a promotion that sees a significant discount applied to their Essence micr...
03/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to supply CERTIUM advanced communications system to Memmingen Ai...
03/06/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
03/06/2026
RT confirms multi-channel and free to air coverage of the expanded tournament with enhanced digital features and the return of Total Football for young fans
S...
03/06/2026
03 Jun 2026
VEON to Release 2Q26 Earnings on July 31, 2026 Dubai and New York, June 3, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON or t...
03/06/2026
RT has today announced Heineken 0.0 as the broadcast sponsor of their FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.
The sponsorship, brokered by Dentsu, will see Heineken 0....
02/06/2026
Musically intelligent soft synth gets upgraded
Scaler Music will be probably be best known to many for their music theory tools, but their product range al...
02/06/2026
Powerful new vocal-production tool announced
Described as a vocal performance station , Klevgrand's latest plug-in combines pitch-correction with harmo...
02/06/2026
Launched alongside Go Green sale extension
McDSP have just released the latest addition to their APB line-up, DC-2 Dual Compressor, and have also announced ...
02/06/2026
Create custom tools for Ableton Live 12 Suite
Ableton have just introduced a new open JavaScript toolkit that allows anyone to create their own custom tools...
02/06/2026
Now features full H90 algorithm library
Eventide have announced the upcoming launch of the H9 Harmonizer Gen 2, a new and improved version of their hugely p...
02/06/2026
Plus UAD Half Yearly Sale now live
The latest arrival to the Universal Audio range delivers a new native pitch-correction plug-in that's capable of deli...
02/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to present comprehensive performance, conformance and spectrum-m...
02/06/2026
BTL Laboratory becomes Taiwan's first test house with a CTIA Certification c...
02/06/2026
If you've kept up with this article series, you know by now where to start w...
02/06/2026
With new DSP configurations and flexible licensing options, Calrec is removing the barriers to virtualised audio, giving broadcasters the freedom to scale produ...
02/06/2026
02 Jun 2026
VEON Closes USD 1.4 Billion Bond Offering, Refinancing 2027 Notes A...
02/06/2026
Praise for series three:
The Times - sun-dappled pleasure
The Daily Mail - The Homes Counties' Charlie's Angels
The Sun - 4* this [is an] enjoya...
02/06/2026
Wuppertal June 2, 2026
Gudrun Scharler Appointed CEO of Riedel Networks The Riedel Group today announced the appointment of Gudrun Scharler as CEO of Riedel N...
02/06/2026
Trust has become a commercial issue With global advertising spend forecast to exceed US$1 trillion this year*, the commercial consequences of weak governance co...
02/06/2026
June sees Ireland's cultural calendar in full bloom, as RT Supporting the Arts showcases a vibrant and wide-ranging programme spanning music, theatre, visu...
02/06/2026
After The Traitors Ireland launched in 2025, Irish audiences proved to have a taste for the global hit reality show. This Bank Holiday Monday fans can indulge e...
01/06/2026
Category line-up & sponsors announced
Photo: Paul Clarke
The Production Music Awards (PMA) have announced that submissions are now officially open ahead of...
01/06/2026
New hybrid sample/synthesis instrument revealed
Excite Audio have just released the latest instalment in their Evolve series, which has been developed in co...
01/06/2026
Latest TONEX expansion captures three rare vintage amps
The newest addition to IK Multimedia's ever-growing TONEX line-up introduces a set of three incr...
01/06/2026
Musically intelligent soft synth gets upgraded
Scaler Music will be probably be best known to many for their music theory tools, but their product range al...
01/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz Satellite Industry Days 2026 guided by the motto From Earth to ...
01/06/2026
Luxembourg, June 1, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, launched fast and reliable multi-orbit satelli...
01/06/2026
Mardi 2 juin 14h00
FilmLight (ARRI), 10 rue Ren Boulanger, 75010 Paris
Rejoignez-nous pour d couvrir comment FLAPI (l'API FilmLight) peut transformer e...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
UKTV achieved record SOCI (Share of Commercial Impacts) of 8.52%, up from 8.07% in 2020
