Global sales of British TV shows in 2020\/21 declined 3.3% to \u00a31.4 billion ($1.8 billion), the TV Exports Report from U.K. screen sector trade body\u00a0Pact\u00a0reveals.<\/p>\n
COVID-19 affected production in the U.K., but producers enjoyed robust back catalogue sales. Library content more than four years old accounted for a third of sales, a 22% uptick from the previous year.<\/p>\n
Drama proved to be the most popular genre, accounting for 53% of export revenues, an increase of 5% compared to the previous year. \u201cI May Destroy You\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s a Sin\u201d were among the most popular titles. Factual shows accounted for 15% of exports with shows like like \u201cMasterchef,\u201d \u201cWho Wants to Be a Millionaire,\u201d and \u201cDragon\u2019s Den\u201d remaining popular.<\/p>\n
Sales to streamers accounted for 44% of all finished program sales, up from 38% in 2019\/20, with more than half of distributors surveyed having sold a program to Amazon Prime Video or Netflix.<\/p>\n
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The U.S. remains the U.K.\u2019s biggest TV export market with \u00a3574 million in revenues, an increase of more than \u00a3100 million. In percentage terms, sales to the U.S. represent 46% of all revenues, up from 32% last year.<\/p>\n
Australia accounted for \u00a3100 worth of sales and New Zealand \u00a323 million.<\/p>\n
Pact CEO\u00a0John McVay\u00a0said: \u201cTo post such a small reduction in exports despite the effects of the pandemic on the U.K. TV industry is further evidence of how resourceful producers have been throughout the pandemic to not only keep their businesses afloat, but to continue to bring quality, entertaining content to audiences around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.K. Minister for Exports, Mike Freer, said: \u201cThe resilience this unique industry has shown through these extraordinarily difficult times leaves me in no doubt that it will continue to thrive in this golden era for global media.\u201d<\/p>\n
Louise Pederson, CEO, All3Media International, said: \u201cThe resilience, energy and ingenuity of the U.K. production and distribution industry is remarkable \u2013 and a genuine asset in the U.K.\u2019s creative industries sector.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Dempsey, president, global distribution, BBC Studios, said: \u201cBritish television is loved by audiences around the world and even when the pandemic interrupted new production, our rich back catalogue has kept viewers everywhere entertained.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruth Berry, MD, global distribution at ITV Studios, added: \u201cAs an industry, we have collectively risen to the challenge of providing our partners across the world with quality UK programming during the pandemic and it\u2019s wonderful to see the global desire for British television remains so strong. From \u2018Poirot\u2019 to \u2018Line of Duty,\u2019 the strength of our catalogue has come into its own once again, providing our buyers with a wealth of library content as well as some of the newest and most exciting shows of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n