Channel 4 named fastest growing streamer amid Netflix’s UK surge
Channel 4 has emerged as the UK’s fastest-growing major streaming platform, Morning Wire can reveal, beating multiple audience records in September and strengthening its digital hand with a new deal designed to rival the reach of Netflix and Disney+.
The broadcaster’s streaming minutes jumped 36 per cent year-on-year, according to new BARB data, the biggest leap among leading UK and global streamers.
That surge drove 6.7bn viewing minutes across the month, its highest on record, powered by a slate that mixed returning favourites like The Great British Bake Off and Married At First Sight UK, with breakout reality hits such as Celebs Go Dating.
On 7 October, Channel 4 set a new all-time record for streaming views in a single day, clocking 7.7m app views across devices.
Among commercial broadcasters, it remains the most upmarket streamer (with 58 per cent of viewers in ABC1 households) and is joint youngest, with nearly a quarter of its audience aged 16 to 34.
A digital-first shift
The performance caps what Channel 4 insiders have dubbed a ‘super September’, cementing its pivot towards digital-first content at a time when global rivals like Netflix continue to grow profits in the UK.
Netflix’s latest UK filings show revenues climbing to £1.84bn last year, driven by a surge in subscribers joining its ad-supported tier and a crackdown on password sharing.
More than half of new Netflix sign-ups now come via its advertising plan, while total UK profits rose to £63m, the highest on record.
But as global streaming competition intensifies, Channel 4’s domestic growth signals there’s still space for British players to thrive, especially those with distinctive, homegrown programming and sharper advertiser appeal.
New UKTV deal
In a fresh bid to widen its offerings, Channel 4 has signed a multi-year carriage deal with UKTV, the BBC-owned commercial arm.
From January 2026, Channel 4 streaming will carry hundreds of titles from UKTV’s on-demand platform U, marking the first time a third-party service has been integrated into Channel 4’s streamer.
The partnership will add cult classics like Red Dwarf, The Office and QI, as well as U&Originals such as Outrageous, Bergerac, and Big Zuu’s Big Eats, to Channel 4’s expanding library.
Jonathan Allan, interim chief executive of Channel 4, said the collaboration “makes our Channel 4 streaming proposition even stronger for viewers”, adding that the partnership would tap into “the youngest streaming audience of any commercial broadcaster”.
Marcus Arthur, chief executive of UKTV, said it demonstrated “the power of British media companies collaborating to drive sustained growth.”
Intensifying competition
The deal is the latest example of how UK broadcasters are joining forces to stay competitive against deep-pocketed US platforms.
Earlier this year, Channel 4 became the first British broadcaster to bring video programming to Spotify, part of its push to meet younger audiences where they already consume content.
Meanwhile, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ continue to expand their UK investments – with Netflix alone spending more than $6bn on British productions over the past four years.
While Netflix’s growth has largely been fuelled by global franchises and algorithmic targeting, Channel 4’s rise rests on a distinct mix of reality, social documentaries, and edgy factual entertainment designed for younger, domestic audiences.
Ian Katz, Channel 4’s chief content officer, said: “From bold reality formats to fearless factual entertainment and cutting-edge drama, we’re delivering across every genre – and doing so with a distinctively Channel 4 voice”.
“That’s what sets us apart and keeps audiences coming back.”