UKTV's digital-first strategy has paid off handsomely, delivering exceptional VOD growth in 2024. The BBC Studios-owned broadcaster, following the merger of its linear and VOD divisions under the U Masterbrand, witnessed a remarkable 34% increase in views on its streaming service U. This translates to a doubling of direct-to-consumer viewing within just two years.
The success extends beyond viewership numbers. U's active user base expanded by 21% in 2024, and its content library expanded substantially, from 7,000 hours to over 9,000 hours. UKTV also achieved record growth across its pay and free VOD platforms, with total viewer minutes for individuals surging by 40%. This impressive growth rate surpasses competitors, establishing UKTV as the fastest-growing on-demand service in Britain. "UKTV continued to accelerate streaming growth throughout last year despite the continued backdrop of market pressures impacting broadcasters, streamers and content makers," noted Marcus Arthur, CEO, UKTV. "While we haven’t been immune to the challenges facing the industry and the decline in linear TV viewing, we’ve driven VOD growth by unifying our VOD and linear businesses and by making smart investments in content, product and branding."
The growth wasn't limited to a single demographic; adult viewership across all demographics increased, with a noteworthy 25% uplift among the 35-54 age group. Drama content proved particularly popular, with titles like Whitstable Pearl, The Marlow Murder Club, The Chelsea Detective, Sister Boniface Mysteries, and Darby & Joan delivering the five highest-rated episodes on U. Andrea Amey, Chief Digital Officer at UKTV, added, "In 2024 UKTV achieved record growth across all of our VOD output, with BARB data revealing that we grew viewing minutes to content on U along with VOD content on pay platforms faster than any other UK competitor. “We’ve achieved this by rebuilding the U app, adding improvements to user experience, app stability, sustainability and content discovery. In 2024 we also expanded U’s footprint by launching on Sky Glass, Sky Stream and Freely devices and we added over 2000 hours of content to the service."
The relaunched U app, coupled with expanded content genres—particularly true crime, with over 500 hours added—and an increase in US box sets (Sons of Anarchy, Brothers and Sisters, Prison Break), contributed significantly to the success. The addition of crime dramas such as Recipes For Love And Murder, Cardinal, and Blackshore further boosted the platform’s appeal. UKTV's FAST channels (U&LAUGHS, U&Transport, U&Real Heroes, and U&The Past) also performed well across platforms like Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Virgin Media TV, experiencing nearly doubled viewership during the summer months.
UKTV's diverse content mix, encompassing BBC content, acquisitions, and original programming, attracted a younger audience, with increases in 16-34 year-old viewership across U&W (+15%), U&GOLD (+2%), and U&DRAMA (+2%).