UKTV celebrates Originals success and growth with 16-34 aged viewers
UKTV grows 16-34 share and UKTV Originals continue to top the network and UKTV Play.
Taskmaster is a hit for Dave.
Multichannel network, UKTV, who are proud to note they’re a very much award-winning network now have more to celebrate than just their gongs. The company has enjoyed an impressive start to 2019.
Year-to-date UKTV’s adult SOCI (share of commercial impacts) is 9.53%, up 3% year-on-year. In addition, the network has seen strong growth in 16-34 SOCI, which is up 6% year-on-year to 6.74%.
Brand new UKTV Original panel show, Hypothetical, featuring James Acaster and Josh Widdicombe, launched on DAVE in the first part of the year with 1.2 million viewers tuning into its debut episode, making it the network’s most popular show of 2019 to date.
The top five first-quarter of the year shows on W were made up of UKTV Originals and exclusive acquisitions MasterChef USA, Flack, Inside the Ambulance, The Shift: Women on the Force and 999 Rescue Squad with brand new UKTV Original scripted drama, Flack, starring Oscar-winner Anna Paquin, attracting 620k viewers to its opening episode.
Viewers enjoy going Inside the Ambulance with UKTV.
Over on YESTERDAY, now the fourth biggest non-PSB channel in the UK (SOCI), new UKTV Original, Bangers and Cash also made a strong debut 0n April 18th. The new series, which follows the Matthewsons, a family dynasty of classic car auctioneers who uncover rare classics, kickstarted the Easter weekend peaking with 509k viewers and has contributed to YESTERDAY’S success, with adult share up 11% year-on-year and 16-34 share up 22%.
REALLY delivered its best first quarter on record, up 5% year-on-year, and UKTV Original Sarah Beeny’s Renovate Don’t Relocate, became the channel’s best performing property title with episode one launching to an audience of 478k.
In addition to Yesterday, Gold (+29%), Alibi (+13%) and Home (+25%) have all seen year-on-year 16-34 share increases, while Drama has seen its adult share improve by 11%.
The Gold channel proves a hit with adult viewers airing classics such as Last of the Summer Wine.
UKTV Play, the network’s popular on demand service, has seen a 41% increase in views year-on-year, and now has over 2.3 million registered users. UKTV Originals were the most popular shows on the service, with the first episode of new commission Hypothetical, taking the top performing slot in the first part of the year.
Since the start of the year, UKTV Play has launched a new generation app featuring increased personalisation, and live streaming has been made available on the play website, enabling viewers to watch Dave, Drama, Yesterday, Really and Home live. The channel streams will be also be available on UKTV Play’s mobile and TV apps in the coming months.
Death on the Tyne proved a Easter hit with viewers to Drama.
Drama achieved a share of 1.58% over the Easter bank holiday, up 29% year-on-year. The channel’s success was powered by a raft of titles, including the free-to-air premiere of UKTV Original Death on the Tyne, which was watched by 328k viewers (live + VOSDAL), representing a 2.8% share and up 157% on slot. This was despite the hot bank holiday weather bringing Total TV down by 23% over the Easter period, versus last year.
Really also recorded a record-breaking Easter with a 0.72% percent share, up 1% on Easter 2018 which was its previous best. And the UKTV network achieved a 6% share on six consecutive days over the Easter period (17-22th April), marking the first time in the broadcaster’s history that it has achieved this feat. In addition, Good Friday was UKTV’s best Good Friday on record, with a 6.5% share.
