The BBC has reported that Small Prophets, written and directed by Mackenzie Crook, has proven popular with audiences, attracting 7.7 million viewers (28-day figure) for episode one, making it the BBC’s biggest new scripted launch of the year to date.

It is the biggest comedy launch episode across the market (excluding specials) since David Mitchell’s Ludwig in 2024 (9.5 million viewers, 28-days). For BBC Two, it’s the biggest comedy episode of the last 10 years, ahead of The Detectorists 2022 Christmas Special (4.5 million).

BBC iPlayer viewing is high at 5.9 million for episode 1, making up over three quarters of viewing. This makes it the biggest comedy launch on iPlayer since at least 2022 (ahead of Ludwig Episode 1 at 5.5 million).

Some 4 million viewers have already watched through to the end of the series on iPlayer and the episode has continued to accrue viewing outside of 28 days, now up to 7.9 million to date.

The fantasy drama series features a host of comedy stars including Crook, Sir Michael Palin, Pearce Quigley, Lauren Patel, Sophie Willan, Jon Pointing and Paul Kaye. Produced by Gill Isles, it was filmed and set in and around Manchester.

Crook commented: “I couldn’t be happier with the response to Small Prophets. The feedback from the audience, the reviews and figures have been better than I dared to hope. I gradually crafted this idea over the course of about 10 years and I think it has benefited from that slow percolation. The BBC comedy department has long given me the space, support and trust to make my shows and there is nowhere else I would rather go. The BBC feels like home. I ended Small Prophets with ‘to be continued’ and I hope that is a promise I can keep in the not-too-distant future.”

Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy, added: “Small Prophets has been a brilliant success story. Loved by critics and viewers alike, it’s exactly the sort of show the BBC does best. We knew it was a bit of a risk and involved a huge amount of trust, but we felt there was something incredibly special in it. Alongside the beautifully drawn comedic characters, there was so much heart, and an almost fairytale quality to it that feels deeply embedded in our psyches from childhood. It’s also arrived at a moment when a bit of hope and humanity probably isn’t the worst thing in the world. Mackenzie Crook is a genius, so we knew it would be in very safe hands, alongside a fantastic cast and the brilliant production teams at Treasure Trove and Blue House. Even so, it has surpassed all our expectations, and the ratings speak for themselves. It has been loved, nurtured and allowed to grow over ten years, much like the precious homunculi at the heart of the show, and it is all the better for it. Letters of appreciation still land in our inboxes every day. A rare, unusual and magical series, and one we are incredibly proud to have on the BBC.”

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Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Content, Research

Tags: BBC, comedy, iPlayer