British television sector revenues climbed to £3.81 billion ($5.1 billion) in 2025, with U.S. streaming investment playing a central role in the rise, according to new figures published by Pact, the U.K. producers trade group.
The total marks a £149 million increase on 2024 revenues, up 4.1% year on year. Pact said the growth was driven primarily by streaming investment into the U.K., as SVOD platforms continued to expand commissioning budgets and push investment in the country to an all-time high.
International TV revenue was a major engine of the improvement. It accounted for 41.1% of total revenue in 2025, reaching £1.57 billion. That represents a £214 million increase, or 15.8%, compared with the previous year. Pact said it was the first time the international figure had grown since the post-Covid rebound in 2022.
The trade group pointed to streaming platforms including Netflix, associated in the source material with “The Gentlemen” and “Black Doves,” and Amazon’s Prime Video, linked with “Clarkson’s Farm” and “L.O.L. Last One Laughing U.K.,” as examples of SVOD players continuing to increase their commissioning budgets.
International growth meets domestic pressure
The strong international performance came alongside a more difficult picture at home. Pact said domestic TV revenues fell below £2 billion for the first time in five years, down 4.7% year on year, with the decline driven by a drop in U.K. commissions.
According to Pact, that domestic fall reflected a small decline in spending from public service broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV, as well as a “larger decline” in multichannel spend.
The commissioning mix also shifted. International commissions accounted for 35% of all primary commissions, while U.K. public service broadcaster network commissions decreased by 10% to 58%, according to the data cited by Pact.
Even so, Pact said £1.42 billion — or 85.9% — still comes via PSB commissions, underlining the continuing importance of public service broadcaster spending to the U.K. production economy even as international buyers increase their share.
Producers broaden revenue streams
The census also pointed to growing diversification among producers. Pact’s data showed non-TV revenue rose by £34 million last year, with growth attributed to areas including U.K. feature films, management and event production, advertising and other revenue streams.
Secondary rights revenue also increased, rising 12.7% to a record £575 million.
Pact CEO Nigel Warner said the figures showed both the appeal and the fragility of the market.
“Pact’s 2026 census underlines once again the strength of the U.K. production market in attracting inward investment, but also its vulnerability to declining domestic spend,” Warner said.
He also raised concerns about the position of newer and smaller independent producers, while calling for stronger domestic public service broadcaster investment.
“While it is welcome to see the proportion of investment in the nations and regions holding up, it is concerning that the pressures on new and smaller indies remain acute,” Warner said. “A new settlement for a strong and sustainable BBC is urgently needed. The entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive the U.K.’s independent sector’s success, but we need to see growth in domestic PSB investment to help all parts of the production sector to thrive.”
The headline figure gives the U.K. production market a clear marker of growth in 2025, powered by overseas demand and streamer spending. But Pact’s findings also frame that growth against a domestic commissioning slowdown, leaving public service broadcaster investment at the center of the sector’s next challenge.