
21 April 2021
Multi-channel broadcaster enjoys highest ever Q1 share of viewing at 4.73% - an 8.6% growth year-on-year
UKTVs share of commercial impacts (SOCI) has increased by 8.3% from 7.68% in Q1 2020, to 8.32% in Q1 2021
41% y-o-y increase in direct-to-consumer views on UKTV Play
More than 10% increase in share of 16-34s tuning in to the network and 20% uplift on Dave y-o-y
UKTV Originals Bangers and Cash (Yesterday), Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable (Dave), Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out (Gold) and Secrets of the Transport Museum (Yesterday) in top ten shows on the network
Dave, Drama, Gold, Yesterday and Alibi experience viewing share growth
Award-winning network UKTV has released consolidated viewing figures from the first quarter of the year and announced its highest ever Q1 share of viewing (4.73%)* with UKTV Originals continuing to entice viewers. Popular channels Dave, Drama, Gold, Yesterday and Alibi have all experienced growth between January 1 and March 31 as well as on-demand service UKTV Play. In addition, younger viewers (16-34) have flocked to the network, 10% more than this time last year. February and March were also record months for SOCI.
CEO Marcus Arthur said:
UKTV achieved record viewing in 2020 and Im so pleased to see that momentum continuing into the first quarter of this year, driven by brilliant programming - be that our original shows, global acquisitions or viewer favourites from the BBC archive.
Starting the year with a strong SOCI, viewing share, impressive ratings and more viewers than ever, particularly 16-34s, is evidence that our growth strategy is on the right trajectory. It is also testament to the hard work of colleagues across the business throughout a difficult year for many. As we enter and adapt to another period of change, everyone here at UKTV is focussed on continuing to deliver brilliant new shows for viewers to enjoy.
Share of commercial impacts (SOCI)
For UKTVs seven channel network, it has achieved a record share of commercial impacts for the months of February and March, 8.08% and 8.72% respectively**. Compared with the same period last year, UKTV has grown its overall SOCI by 8.3% to reach 8.32%.
The standout channel is Drama, which had its highest SOCI on record in March (2.98%), significantly higher than its previous highest SOCI month which was 2.80% in May last year.
Alibi, Dave, Gold and Yesterday have also achieved SOCI growth during this time.
UKTVs SOCI for 16-34s has also grown to 6.12%, the best the network has seen for six years.
In addition, Dave has had 29% y-o-y SOCI growth for 16-34s for the quarter.
Channels growth and programme highlights
UKTVs seven channel network has grown its viewing share to 4.73% between January 1 and March 31 2021 - the broadcasters highest ever Q1 share and a y-o-y growth of 8.6%. It has also achieved y-o-y share growth for adults ( 8.6%), 16-34s ( 10.1%) and ABC1s (11.2%).
Comedy entertainment channel Dave has witnessed a significant number of 16-34s tuning in throughout the first quarter of the year, 20% more compared with the same period last year. This is thanks to new and returning UKTV Originals including Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, Meet the Richardsons (S2) and Hypothetical (S3). The channel has also increased its viewing share by 4% y-o-y.
Drama, which recently launched a 1 channel on Freeview, has continued to entertain audiences with its range of much-loved shows. The channel has remained the number one non-PSB owned channel in the UK, its share is up 17% y-o-y, and March was its best month ever. Death in Holy Orders, the feature-length murder-mystery thriller based on the PD James book, consolidated to 696k viewers, the channels second highest TX for a show ever and the most watched show on the channel for the year so far. Last Of The Summer Wine and Death in Paradise make up the other top shows on Drama for Q1 2021.
Dedicated crime drama channel Alibi has also had y-o-y uplift ( 16%) driven by S2 of the action-packed police series and international hit Hudson & Rex which averaged 548k viewers. Rosario Dawson-led drama series Briarpatch also proved popular with viewers, 516k viewers (Total Consumption) tuned in to the premiere of that in Ja nuary.
UKTV Originals on leading factual channel Yesterday were the stars of Q1 and have taken the channels share up by 12% y-o-y. Bangers and Cash S4 opened to 648k viewers making it the strongest launch for the charming Yorkshire-based observational documentary series and the second highest performing episode of any show on the channel to date (outperformed only by another episode of Bangers & Cash in 2020). Secrets of the Transport Museum has become the second best brand-new S1 launch to date on the channel.
UKTV Original shows have proved popular with viewers on Gold and W. The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out launched on 6th March on Gold to 577k viewers, the best performing retrospective since The Story of Only Fools and Horses in 2017. It has also had a positive impact on viewing figures for the original Vicar of Dibley archive which is the third highest rating show on the channel for the quarter. On W, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies in 2020 has had one of the strongest 16-34 profiles for a UKTV commission on the channel with 66% of the shows audience aged 16-34.
UKTV Play has enjoyed a 41% increase in direct-to-consumer views y-o-y in Q1 2021 driven by The Bill: The Early Years and Yesterdays returning original series Bangers and Cash, the sixth most popular title on the service.
Richard Watsham, UKTVs Director of Commissioning, said:
Im pleased to see Bangers and Cash taking Yesterdays ratings to new heights. The team has done a fantastic job, with our brilliant production partners, to populate the channels schedule with a number of high rating, high quality hits.
After a busy development period during lockd
Most recent headlines
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...
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...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
23/04/2026
Apply now to join the 2026 Producer Delegation to TIFF: The Market 23 April 2026
Screen Australia, in partnership with Ontario Creates, has opened application...
22/04/2026
Solid State Logic is advancing its System T platform with a stronger focus on IP...
22/04/2026
From immersive audio to live streaming, Dolby Laboratories is focused on the fut...
22/04/2026
Shallow depth-of-field cameras have taken the industry by storm. Its debut a han...
22/04/2026
Riedel Communications (Booth C4908) announced that Eastern Kentucky University (...
22/04/2026
The NAB Show is in full swing, and the SVG and SVG Europe editorial teams are chasing down the hottest stories from all over the Las Vegas Convention Center. He...
22/04/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the URSA Cine 12K LF 100G, a new model in the URSA Cine family adding 100G Ethernet for SMPTE 2110 live production output up to ...
22/04/2026
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, NEP is leaning into hybrid production with the...
22/04/2026
NEP VP, Platform Dan Murphy sits down at the 2026 NAB Show to unpack what NEP P...
22/04/2026
Spotify and the New York Liberty are teaming up to give music and basketball fan...
22/04/2026
New 20-minute documentary explores iconic design The Focusrite Room in Mesa, Arizona, where John Aquilino hosts the Studio Console 005.
In 2025, Focusrite co...
22/04/2026
Offers compact wireless solution for pedalboards
Taiwanese audio brand Cloudvocal have announced the availability of a new pedalboard-friendly wireless syst...
22/04/2026
Latest hybrid sampling/synthesis instrument arrives
Arturia's Augmented series offerings rely on a mixture of sampling and synthesis, allowing users to ...
22/04/2026
Combines three distinct analogue EQ emulations
The latest addition to Acustica Audio's ever-expanding collection of analogue-emulation plug-ins combines...
22/04/2026
Final instalment in vintage-inspired instrument series
Analog Empire: Bass & Lead marks the final instalment in Melda Production's vintage hardware-insp...
22/04/2026
Fuzz pedal joins all-analogue Series A line
Given that Strymons reputation was built on unapologetically digital pedals, it was a little surprising to see t...
22/04/2026
SBS names shortlisted brands for 2026 SBS Media Sustainability Challenge
22 April, 2026
Media releases
National broadcaster also releases its second annual...
22/04/2026
Why Low Band Electronic Warfare Matters...
22/04/2026
The nation unites around football team's World Cup dream
Warsaw, Poland, 20.04.26: Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and media intell...
22/04/2026
Warsaw, Poland, 22.04.26: Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data...
22/04/2026
New market intelligence offering gives businesses a clearer view of local consum...
22/04/2026
Glookast Unveils New UX, YouTube and Social Media Connectors, Premiere Panel, Ci...
22/04/2026
Lightcraft Technology to Preview Spark Story at NAB 2026 with Interactive Previs...
22/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/04/2026
22 Apr 2026
VEON's Banglalink to Bring Starlink Mobile to Customers in Bangladesh Bangladesh becomes the third market where VEON and Starlink Mobile partne...
22/04/2026
U have unveiled exclusive first-look images for their six-part police thriller Hit Point, starring Nick Blood (Day of the Jackal) and BAFTA nominee Saffron Hock...
22/04/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...
22/04/2026
Wednesday 22 April 2026
Sky announces fifth year of WNT Fund with 30,000 bursa...
22/04/2026
Back to All News
This Earth Day, Discover the Sustainable Productions Behind Our Films and Series
Emma Stewart, Ph.D.
Netflix Sustainability Officer
Enterta...
22/04/2026
The move from Retail Media to Commerce Media is about broadening the scope of th...
22/04/2026
April 22 2026, 07:00 (PDT) Dolby and BMW Bring Dolby Atmos to the BMW 7 Series,...
22/04/2026
RT Documentary On One 7-part series breaks US market for first time
RT Programme Sales has announced its first deal with a US distribution partner for its 7-...
22/04/2026
NVIDIA and Google Cloud have collaborated for more than a decade, co engineering a full stack AI platform that spans every technology layer - from performance o...
21/04/2026
Cloud-based production isnt going anywhere, and BitFire is doubling down by prov...
21/04/2026
The topic of artificial intelligence has a stranglehold on the sports-video-prod...
21/04/2026
5G is still a hot topic in live event production, and this workflow continues to...
21/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Ed McGivern, GM and President of Appear US, discusses the ...
21/04/2026
Studio Network Solutions (SNS) has announced an on-premise AI suite designed for...
21/04/2026
Suite Studios has integrated its file-streaming technology into the newly announced Frame.io Drive, a desktop application from Adobe company Frame.io. The colla...