UKTV has delivered its strongest performance on record after a surge in viewing of drama titles including Bergerac, The Marlow Murder Club and The Chelsea Detective underlining how audiences are increasingly consuming TV through free, ad-funded streaming rather than paid subscriptions.
The BBC Studios-owned broadcaster said its free streaming service U grew direct-to-consumer viewing by 15% in 2025, with average monthly active users up 23% and registrations rising 18%. The growth follows an already strong 2024 and comes as UK broadcasters look to compete with global streamers without abandoning linear television.
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At the same time, UKTV’s linear portfolio continued to grow, with network share rising from 4.8% to 4.97% — the highest in its history — while its Share of Commercial Impacts (SOCI) reached a record 9.08%, highlighting the continued commercial importance of mass-reach UK channels alongside streaming.
Marcus Arthur, CEO, UKTV, said: “Record-breaking viewing across both streaming and linear is clear evidence that our strategy is working. By investing decisively in digital while strengthening our linear offer, we’ve positioned the business for sustainable success. “Our focused choices in content, product and marketing have enabled us to accelerate our growth trajectory, even against a rapidly shifting media landscape and challenging macroeconomic conditions.”
UKTV’s results point to a shift in UK viewing habits, with familiar, well-loved British drama proving to be a major driver of engagement on free platforms. On U, drama was the most-watched genre in 2025, accounting for the service’s five biggest titles: Bergerac, Outrageous, The Marlow Murder Club, The Chelsea Detective and Whitstable Pearl. Bergerac delivered U’s biggest single day ever on 2 March.
Andrea Amey, Chief Digital Officer, UKTV, said the results marked the first full year under UKTV’s new masterbrand: “2025 marked the first full year of UKTV’s transformation under our new masterbrand, U – and the results speak for themselves. Our streaming service has benefited enormously from a bold, cohesive brand identity that unites the platform with our family of TV channels.”
She added: “We’ve delivered strong growth in viewing, active users and registrations, fuelled by a compelling content offer, enhanced functionality, improved personalisation and broader availability.”
While streaming growth accelerated, UKTV’s linear channels also expanded their share in 2025, with U&alibi, U&Dave, U&YESTERDAY and U&DRAMA all posting gains. U&eden recorded a 76% uplift in its first full year free-to-air, reinforcing the continued relevance of accessible, advertiser-funded channels.
Original commissions topped ratings across UKTV’s portfolio, with Bergerac attracting 2.4m viewers across U and U&DRAMA, making it the network’s biggest show of the year. Returning titles including The Marlow Murder Club and Bookish are set to continue in 2026, alongside new commissions and major retrospectives including Only Fools & Horses: The Lost Archive.
Steve North, Chief Content Officer, UKTV, said: “The strength and breadth of our content slate continues to power both UKTV’s linear channels and our U streaming service to exceptional performance.”
