The UK hosts one of the world's most successful television industries. So much so, that UK TV exports generated £1.48 billion ($1.97 billion) in revenue last year.
When a program performs well in its home country, the TV studios or producers look to sell it to foreign markets. This essentially means that other countries can air the original show on their own channels or create a "remake" that tailors the content to their own target audience.
Research from Betway Casino has recently surfaced, putting facts into figures, showing just how successful the UK TV export industry actually is. Read on to discover five countries that absolutely love UK TV shows.
1. The USA
The United Kingdom's top export market is the United States, generating a revenue of £466 million in 2020. North America is the most profitable geographic region, grossing £572 million in total.
2. France
In terms of non-English speaking countries, France is the biggest market for UK TV exports. While revenue reaches nowhere near the amount that the US does, France alone still generated £102 million in revenue.
3. Australia
Moving back to English-speaking countries, Australia takes third place. In the past year, the country generated £98 million in revenue for UK exports. English-speaking countries tend to garner more success due to already having a format suited to their audience.
4. Canada
Canada follows suit for UK TV exports, generating £80 million in revenue. Once again, it's easy for Canada to localise the content due to already being an English-speaking country.
5. Nordics
The Nordic market spends around £77 million on UK TV exports.
The Latin American and Asian markets have also increased their UK TV exports recently. This is likely due to the rise in accessibility to streaming services. These streaming services allow people to access shows that may have otherwise been censored.
What About Remakes?
There are many shows that have done incredibly well in other countries - so much so that they've been made into remakes, targeting different types of audience. Popular UK remakes include:
- The Office
- Great British Bake Off
- Chernobyl
- Strictly Come Dancing
- Doctor Who
- Luther
The Great British Bake Off has been licensed to 26 different countries. It's no surprise that the show generated 28% of all UK export income in 2020 when you consider this fact.
The US version of The Office became a 22-episode success, going above and beyond the success of the UK office. There are now a whopping nine seasons of the US Office.
Dancing with the Stars (known in the United Kingdom as Strictly Come Dancing) has aired more than 270 seasons in over 50 countries, attracting 500 million viewers worldwide.
Final Notes
As more regions explore the wonder of the UK TV industry, exports will show no sign of slowing down. According to Betway, the UK's entertainment industry is predicted to increase from £71.3 billion in revenue in 2021 to £87.9 billion in 2025. This suggests that we can expect a whole lot more great content (both in quality and quantity) coming our way!
Are you a fan of TV shows? If so, what's your favourite? We'd love to hear your thoughts on whether remakes are better than the originals!
