Netflix and the BBC are running neck-and-neck as the default service Britons turn to when they switch on their television, new research shows.
Ofcom's annual Media Nations report found that Netflix is now the first port of call for 26% of viewers, while the national broadcaster is narrowly behind at 25%. The home of Adolescence and KPop Demon Hunters continues to produce breakthrough hits, despite a slowing streaming market in the UK.
The report highlighted that KPop Demon Hunters was the most-watched programme in the UK in 2025, reaching an audience of more than 24 million, followed by the crime drama Adolescence with 16 million.
BBC fightback and live TV resilience
However, viewing figures for the start of 2026 show the BBC mounting a fightback, with the latest series of The Traitors and Tom Hiddleston's return in The Night Manager topping the ratings. That trend has continued into the summer, boosted by BBC and ITV coverage of the World Cup.
Kate Davies, the group director for strategy and research at Ofcom, said traditional broadcasters were showing “resilience” through their live and event TV programming. Describing the competitive landscape as “fierce”, she added: “To thrive and survive in the current media landscape, it’s more important than ever for companies to continue to understand changing audience habits and adapt their strategies to meet people where they are.”
Market share and youth viewing habits
Citing data from audience measurement body Barb, Ofcom said the BBC remained ahead in terms of share of total video viewing, accounting for 18% in 2025, followed by YouTube on 15%, ITV on 11% and Netflix on 9%. YouTube is also becoming more of a fixture on TV sets, with viewing on televisions doubling over the past four years.
There were signs of a drop-off among young audiences, with steep declines in live TV viewing among 16- to 24-year-olds and 4- to 15-year-olds of 17% each. Ofcom said this was partly due to the absence of major sporting events in 2025, compared with the boost from the Paris Olympics and Euro 2024 the previous year. However, alternative video services were not necessarily the beneficiaries: young adults watched 11 fewer minutes of broadcast, streaming and on-demand services at home last year, due to competition from social media and gaming.
Despite Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and Apple shooting big series in the UK in recent years, public service broadcasters led by the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 delivered more than 30,000 hours of UK-originated content last year, not including repeats.
