Netflix overtakes the BBC as the UK's first-choice screen — Ofcom Media Nations 2026
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Netflix is now the first-choice service for 26% of UK viewers versus the BBC's 25%, according to Ofcom's Media Nations 2026 report — the first time a streamer has topped the public broadcaster, with YouTube now a genuine 'TV' advertising environment.
The headline shift: streaming is now the default
Ofcom's annual Media Nations 2026 report hands Netflix a symbolic milestone: it is the first-choice service for 26% of UK viewers, just ahead of the BBC on 25%, with ITV first for 15%. Ofcom is careful to note the one-point gap is not statistically significant — but it is the first time a streamer has edged in front of the BBC.
The direction of travel is unmistakable. Traditional broadcaster reach — the share of people watching live or catch-up broadcast TV each week — fell to 70% in 2026, down from 73% in 2024 and 78% in 2022. The default screen of British life is no longer a broadcast channel.
YouTube is now a television channel
The most important number for advertisers may be YouTube. Viewing of YouTube on the actual TV set has doubled since 2022, from 9 to 19 minutes per person per day, with total YouTube viewing across all devices reaching about 41 minutes daily. On the living-room screen, YouTube now behaves like a broadcaster.
There is a bright spot for the incumbents: broadcaster on-demand services such as iPlayer and ITVX grew 9% year on year, the fastest-growing TV category. Subscription streaming, meanwhile, has plateaued at roughly 70% of homes — a sign the land-grab phase is over and ad-funded growth is the next chapter.
What it means for UK media plans
Our read: the assumption that a public-service broadcaster is the automatic backbone of a reach plan is now dead. Building national reach means stitching together broadcast, BVOD, subscription-streamer ad tiers and YouTube-on-TV — no single buy delivers it any more.
That fragmentation is also an opportunity. As streaming saturates, the growth engine shifts to advertising tiers, which means more premium, addressable connected-TV inventory for UK brands. Planners who learn to buy across these screens as one audience, not four channels, will win the next few years.
Quick FAQ
Has Netflix really overtaken the BBC in the UK?
In Ofcom's Media Nations 2026 report, Netflix was the first-choice service for 26% of viewers versus 25% for the BBC. Ofcom notes the one-point gap is not statistically significant, but it is the first time a streamer has edged ahead of the BBC.
How much YouTube do UK viewers watch on TV?
Viewing of YouTube on the TV set reached 19 minutes per person per day in 2026, double the 9 minutes recorded in 2022. Across all devices, YouTube accounts for around 41 minutes a day.
What does this mean for advertisers?
TV reach is now spread across broadcasters, subscription streamers, BVOD and YouTube. Advertisers can no longer rely on linear public-service broadcasting alone and should plan connected-TV and online-video buys alongside broadcast.
— Dimitro Cohen, Technology & Ad-Tech Correspondent at Marketing Minute
The public-service broadcaster is no longer the default screen — national reach now has to be built across four kinds of TV at once.
Does your media plan still treat 'TV' as one line — or are you buying broadcast, BVOD, streaming and YouTube as a single audience?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
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Written by Dimitro Cohen, Technology & Ad-Tech Correspondent at Marketing Minute
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