BBC Commercial, the media company which is part of the BBC Group, has released its annual results as part of the BBC’s Annual Report and Accounts, marking a year where the company delivered record revenues of £2.2 billion (2023/24: £1.9 billion) and EBITDA of £228 million (2023/24: £199 million), driven by a diversified portfolio; strong performance for BritBox International; and its consumer products division – particularly global hit Bluey.

BBC Studios, the main commercial arm of the BBC Commercial group, recorded its fourth consecutive year of profit in excess of £200 million, expressed as EBITDA, of £225 million (2023/24: £202 million), an increase of 11 per cent year on year, despite organic investment in media & streaming, including the BBC website and UKTV, which both saw audience growth. The profits generated by BBC Studios go back to the BBC to support its mission in the UK.

Tom Fussell, CEO of BBC Commercial, commented: “BBC Commercial has delivered a strong set of results, which show that our strategy is working and the investments made in previous years, together with a diversified portfolio, are delivering a trajectory of sustainable growth, despite ongoing global macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Together with the continuing recognition for the craft and creativity of our content studio and the demand for our content around the world, BBC Commercial is well placed to support a robust creative and entertainment industry and cement its role as a global ambassador for the best of UK content.”

Over the last few years, the company has made a series of strategic investments in its routes to market, including taking full ownership of global streamer BritBox International and enhancements to digital services for UKTV.

Investment in digital platforms was key in delivering a 43 per cent growth in revenues for the media and streaming division. BritBox International’s revenues were up 20 per cent year-on-year, with popular UK titles such as Ludwig and Blue Lights drawing in North American audiences.

BBC Studios’ multi-channel network, UKTV, also reported a strong performance. Its direct-to-consumer service U grew views by a third in 2024, whilst UKTV saw total viewer hours to its VoD content across its free and pay platforms grow by 56 million hours year-on-year. Drama content performed particularly well with The Marlow Murder Club becoming the network’s highest rating show of 2024, watched by 2.6 million viewers.

The new BBC website and app have established themselves as the key digital platforms. The website saw a 15 per cent uplift in global visitors over the year whilst registrations have grown by 78 per cent year-on-year.

BBC Studios’ creativity continued to power its success with the business winning over 150 awards. Content highlights from the most-awarded UK production company included feature film Conclave, made by wholly owned House Productions, which won four BAFTAs and an Academy Award, wholly owned Clerkenwell Films’ Baby Reindeer which won six Emmys, a 20th anniversary for Strictly Come Dancing in the UK as the popularity of the international brand, Dancing with the Stars, continues.

Factual title The Americas, narrated by Tom Hanks and made for NBC, became the most-watched nature documentary on US linear television for more than fifteen years, whilst in the UK, BBC Studios helped mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a raft of memorable programming, including the RTS Programme Award-winning D-Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen. The business has expanded and consolidated its international production portfolio, now making programmes in ten territories worldwide.

The performance of BBC Studios’ brands and licensing business was led by global hit Bluey, as the children’s title was named the most-streamed programme in the US in 2024, the Bluey’s World immersive experience opened in Brisbane, Australia, and a feature film was announced in partnership with Disney+, set to arrive in cinemas in 2027.

These results mean that BBC Commercial remains on track to meet its five-year returns commitment of £1.5 billion by 2026/27 (a 30 per cent increase on the previous five-year period), having already delivered £1.02 billion during the first three years.

Digital Consumption

The BBC has also reported that Digital consumption of its content significantly increased this year with nearly 10 per cent more requests on BBC iPlayer, and the platform was the UK’s fastest-growing long-form VoD service in 2024/25.

Programming which drove audiences to the BBC included The Traitors, Race Across the World, Gavin and Stacey: The Finale, the Men’s Euros, the Olympic Games in Paris, the Proms and the General Election coverage.

Trust in BBC News went up year-on-year in 2024/25, and the BBC News app is now the number one news app in the UK for monthly reach.

Samir Shah, BBC Chair, said: “This year has shown that the BBC and the public service values it stands for are more important than ever to our audiences and the UK as a whole. As we look towards Charter Review, the Board and I are determined to work on behalf of audiences to secure an independent, universal public service BBC for generations to come.”

Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, added: “I am proud of the outstanding value we have delivered for audiences this year and the speed at which we are transforming the organisation to meet the challenges of a fast-changing media landscape. This report demonstrates the importance of the BBC and the vital role we play in helping to strengthen the UK’s democracy, economy, and society, now and in the years to come.”

The vast majority of homes have a TV Licence – with 23.8 million TV Licences in force, generating an income of £3.8 billion.

BBC News expands global audience

BBC News grew its global audience by 4 million people in 2024/25.

The BBC’s coverage of international conflicts, crises and elections has boosted its international audience year-on-year to reach 418 million people on average every week. The total BBC audience, including content made and distributed by BBC Studios, grew by 3 million to 453 million.

In the Middle East, BBC News Arabic grew its weekly audience reach to 39.5 million – up nearly 13 per cent – with growth across Arabic TV and digital programming as well as 1.2m listeners tuning into the Gaza and Syrian lifeline radio services. The fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Israel-Gaza conflict both contributed to significant boosts in audiences seeking trusted news and information.

BBC News Persian saw audiences rise a 38 per cent to 24 millon as Persian-speakers in Iran and around the world sought out the latest news amid unrest in the region. Despite the challenges of reaching audiences across Iran, the service’s TV channel – the largest international news channel in Iran – is viewed by a record audience of 14 million. The BBC now reaches one in four people in Iran every week.

In the US, the November election and subsequent news around President Trump saw spikes in the number of people coming to BBC News. Audiences increased on digital platforms with the country accounting for 55 per cent of growth on BBC.com

With BBC World Service language services BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo also both experiencing audience boosts, the BBC now reaches 83 million people across the Americas every week.

Other services which saw a spike in audiences include BBC News Bangla following the protests and unrest in Bangladesh, and BBC News Korean as the service reported on political upheaval in the country.

Jonathan Munro, Global Director and Deputy CEO, BBC News, said: “In the past year, the heightened global news agenda has seen audiences come to the BBC for news they can trust in times of instability and insecurity. Despite the decrease in press freedom and increased competition, the BBC has stepped up when audiences need our services the most – from elections and conflict, to the upheaval in Syria and unrest in Bangladesh. Alongside this, record numbers are coming to BBC News Persian despite the service being banned in Iran, and BBC News Arabic has once again demonstrated the importance of having an accurate and impartial news service in the region.”

The BBC’s news in English across World Service English, BBC.com and the BBC News channel grew its audience to 198 million people weekly, an increase of 7 million year-on-year. The BBC News channel builds on its success last year to grow its audience in the UK and around the world to 102 million.

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Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Business, Content, Results

Tags: bafta, BBC, bluey, britbox, UKTV