UK TV exports have slowly become popular, and this is not just the British period dramas. Outside the UK, producers are remaking quiz shows, sitcoms, and TV shows. Though streaming platforms such as Netflix as well as US imported TV shows have gained success, the UK’s performance on its TV export shows and formats cannot be understated. You may be wondering which of these formats and TV shows are most successful.
Online Casino Betway has carried out research on this front to get you the answers you need. Americans are warming up to more than period drams that depict British life. It is undisputed that shows like Downton Abbey and documentaries such as Planet Earth have done well. UK sci-fi dramas, including Doctor Who and His Dark Materials, have also become a popular pick among Americans. In fact, UK TV exports had revenue worth £1.48 billion in 2020.
Aside from the audience in the US, Australia, and Canada, people in countries that are non-English speaking also like UK programs. For instance, statistics reveal that France is the largest market in the non-English speaking region with £102 million in revenue after France comes from the Nordic market that uses about £77 million on UK exports.
The markets in Latin America and Asia have upped their UK exports spending by about 15% and 13% individually. In part, this could be due to the increased streaming services locally by platforms such as GloboPay in Brazil and Bilibili in China.
Best Format
BBC’s Top Gear is an obvious pick when creating a list for the country’s highest revenue earners. Within one year, the show has accumulated £50 million. About 350 million viewers watch the format across 214 territories. Home-grown TV shows have proved their worth as UK continues to hit the jackpot when it comes to exporting adapted TV formats.
Case in point, The Great British Bake Off has 26 different market licenses in nations such as Italy and the USA. France has adapted The Great British Bake-Off format and renamed it Le Meilleur Patissier. Nearly two decades ago, it would have been impossible to envision a world where Britain would export its cooking programs to France.
Strictly Come Dancing is another UK format adapted in the US as Dancing with the Stars. With 500 million global viewers, the format has been on the air for 270 seasons in 50 countries. Some of the remakes have done much better in comparison to the original UK version. For instance, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has about 100 versions, with the most popular being the US variant. The US version is more popular than the UK reboot by Jeremy Clarkson.
From Britain to the USA
In the recent past, the most successful UK adaptation has to be The Office (US). Although the show used the UK script for the first season, the producers used an American script to include the US audience. Eventually, the producers had nine seasons of the popular show. The Office (US) has five seasons more than its British version. In 2020, the US version was viewed for 57 billion minutes on the streaming platform Netflix.
More growth can be anticipated in terms of British TV exports. The combined revenue from the national media and entertainment income will rise from the existing £71.3 billion to £87.9 billion in the coming four years. Though Britain is a small nation, its entertainment and creativity exports may continue to rise. It appears that Britain has a winning formula that other countries are yet to gain.
The Takeaway
The English Premier League is among the most-watched competitions in the UK and the rest of the world. For this reason, some of the richest football clubs are from England. Some of these clubs include Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Manchester City. For several years, Manchester United (The Red Devils) has been the richest football club in England. Its scholarship deals have helped the club remain at the top of this list.
