Netflix is now the UK’s ‘go to’ destination when looking for something to watch according to Ofcom’s latest report on the nation’s viewing habits.
The streaming service is now the first choice of 26% of viewers, narrowly ahead of the BBC (25%) and comfortably ahead of ITV (15%) and YouTube (10%).
While viewing of broadcaster owned streaming services such as iPlayer, ITVX, and Channel 4 and 5’s apps increased by 9% last year, this largely reflects viewers’ increasing abandonment of linear broadcasting, the viewing of which fell by 12% compared to 2024.
Additionally, Ofcom’s figure show that the percentage of people who watched content from traditional broadcasters – including live TV, recorded playback and on-demand services – for at least 15 minutes in an average week stood at 70% last year.
This is down from 73% in 2024 and 78% in 2022, with declines recorded across all age groups, including viewers aged 75 and over.
Overall, broadcaster content accounted for 53% of all in-home video viewing in 2025, down from 56% in 2024.
Traditional broadcasters such as the BBC have long relied on their guaranteed prominence within the TV’s electronic programme guides and their ability to place their own streaming apps in the top spots on platforms such as Freeview, Freesat and Freely which are jointly owned by the four largest Public Service Broadcasters.
Today’s report shows that these privileges are no longer enough to guarantee the loyalty of audiences in a world of competition that not only provides a greater choice of programmes but also offers options such as advance image and sound quality and the ability to watch shows in the viewer’s primary or preferred language.
Channel 4 and ITV have attempted to meet some of these challenges by making their content available on YouTube and, in the case of ITV, through Disney+ in an effort to meet audiences within the apps they already use.
However the BBC is only now taking its first steps to do likewise, having long fixated on an increasingly out of date policy of expecting audiences to come to it.
But while global streamers have successfully established themselves as a major part of the UK media landscape, Ofcom’s research suggests that their presence in UK homes has largely plateaued at around 70%.
Netflix accounts for more than half of all subscription streaming viewing with an average of 24 minutes per individual per day, with Disney+ and Prime Video tied on 8%.
Today’s report also finds that the streamers’ advert-supported plans are increasingly popular, with the proportion of Netflix subscribers on its ‘Standard with Ads’ tier increasing to 43% in Q1 2026, compared to 31% in Q1 2024.
Disney+ subscribers taking up its ad-supported tier also increased to 43% of subscribers in Q1 2026 versus 27% in Q1.
Kate Davies, Group Director for Strategy and Research at Ofcom, said: “As audiences increasingly benefit from an incredible choice of content, competition between traditional broadcasters, streaming services, video sharing platforms and other forms of digital media is fierce.
“But in face of these challenges, traditional broadcasters are showing resilience with the power to bring millions of us together to watch or listen for big, national moments, as well as growing their digital offerings.
“To thrive and survive in the current media landscape, it’s more important than ever for companies to continue to understand changing audience habits and adapt their strategies to meet people where they are.”