The world’s most thriving TV industry, the UK is known for its trendsetting setups and globally renowned shows. So it’s no wonder that UK TV exports made an excellent £1.48 billion ($1.97 billion) during the closing year. Everyone has their favorite UK shows, be it Love Island or The Office. So let’s discover the top UK TV exports that the rest of the world thinks are the best.
Rising from UK Classic to Global Icon
The UK’s favorites are With shows like Planet Earth, The Chase, and Strictly Come Dancing. So it makes sense that studios would aspire to regain success overseas, too. As a higher number of UK shows rose to leap up over the globe, Betway Casino considered it was an opportunity to catch a more intimate glimpse at the scene. We’ve searched various scripted dramas, sports shows, and reality TV formats to locate the most successful UK TV exports. When a program works well indigenously, the TV studios and producers regard trading it to worldwide markets. This way, other nations can append the show to their grooves or adapt the setup for their needs.
Money Making Game of The UK from TV Exports
UK TV exports reached a tremendous £1.48 billion globally in 2020. Here’s how these TV export deals break down into unique businesses:
- UK TV shows are appreciated in various English-speaking countries besides Australia and Canada in the top five export markets. These markets can achieve economic backing. Quickly localize the format to provide their audience.
- France is the most significant market, building £102 million in revenue, while the Nordic market contributes £77 million, considered non-English speaking countries.
- The US is the UK’s principal export market, with revenue in 2020 calculating £466 million or $649 million. North America is the most prosperous region, with an overall wealth of £572 million.
- Sequentially, the Latin American and Asian businesses have expanded their UK TV exports by 13 and 15 percent. It might be due to local streaming services’ growth that has opened up avenues for independent shows previously censored in specific markets.
Global Remakes of UK TV Shows & Formats
Many UK programs have made it onto the world stage, from period dramas and comedies to game shows and reality series.
Scripted Shows: Dramas, Sitcoms, and Series all fall under the scripted show category. Many of these shows have seen exceptional success on broadcast TV and streaming services, but it doesn’t always work this well. Here are few notable UK shows that have been acclimated into global variants:
- Doctor Foster
- Misfits
- The Office
- Chernobyl
- His Dark Materials
- Doctor Who
- Luther
Unscripted Formats: Unscripted formats highlight everything from reality dating shows to talent competitions. While scripted drama endures the most significant source of revenue for UK TV commodities, the UK’s unscripted formats still deliver influence. The UK is the highest unscripted format producing nation. Some of the structures that have been sold to international markets include:
- Planet Earth
- Strictly Come Dancing
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
- Love Island
- Got Talent
- Gogglebox
- First Dates
- Come Dine With Me
- Great British Bake Off
All Time Most Popular UK TV Exports
Let;’ checkout some of the exports considered the most extensive and most successful of all time. Betway Casino has divided the most notable UK TV exports into four classes:
- Broadest Reach: Studio-based reality talent shows continue to be one of the most in-demand formats, with Got Talent securing 78 global sales in 2020, with Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor, and Idols just coming behind it. British period dramas have also hit international markets. Classic crime series such as Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie’s Poirot raked 200 plus sales each.
- Most-viewed: The Office (US) is the most-viewed UK export being watched on Netflix, accumulates 57 billion minutes of streaming in 2020, but still, it’s hard to compete with UK’s unscripted formats. Dancing with the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing in the UK have screened over 270 seasons and have generated 500 million viewers globally.
- Money Producers: The Great British Bake Off has been licensed to 26 international markets, from the USA and Denmark to Italy and France. It’s no wonder factual programs accounted for 28 percent of all UK export revenue in 2020. The BBC’s Top Gear also lays claim to the biggest earning export, generating around £50 million in revenue each year from 214 territories, with a global audience of 350 million.
- Better than the originals: While the original six-episode season of The Office US equaled the UK’s original script, it promptly pulled up on the necessity for an Americanised outline to suit the local sale. It led to a 22-episode-long second season that brought in the views and paved the way for nine seasons of success.
Today, the American version triumphs with an impressive 8.9-star rating on IMDb, ranking 26th in terms of global popularity, while the UK counterpart places 558th with 8.5 stars. Concerning UK formats, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has taken the world by storm, with more than 100 versions produced outside of the UK. It’s gained a lot of love in the US, with the 2020 reboot securing an average of 5.6 million viewers and a finale audience of 6.5 million. Contrast that with the 2018 revival of the UK series, featuring Jeremy Clarkson as the new host, which received 5.06 million viewers.
Future of UK TV Exports
Europe currently holds the second biggest TV export business for the UK; this is likely to shift in the following years as the consequences of Brexit take form. EU is keen to check the dominance of UK TV in the continent, enhance “artistic diversity,” and provide smaller shows from other nations an opportunity to advance.
The UK’s entertainment and media resources are forecasted to grow over the next five years – from £72 billion in 2021 to £88 billion approximately in 2025. It shows an improvement in the quality and quantity of UK shows and a hike in sales for TV exports. The growth of subscription video on demand (SVOD) is also determined to maintain, with global subscriptions expected to hit 1.495 billion by 2026.
It is excellent news for the UK business, as these on-demand platforms currently reckon for 38 percent of all worldwide sales. In addition, it grants an opportunity for the UK to establish its relationships with other export syndicates of the US, Latin America, and Asia.