BBC Commercial has released its annual results as part of the BBC’s Annual Report and Accounts, showing “record revenue and industry-awarded creative success.”
The company achieved record revenues of £2.2bn (2023/24: £1.9bn) and EBITDA of £228m (2023/24: £199m) driven by a “diversified portfolio; strong performance for BritBox International; and its consumer products division, especially global hit Bluey.”
BBC Studios, the main commercial arm of the BBC Commercial group, recorded its fourth consecutive year of profit in excess of £200m, expressed as EBITDA, of £225m (2023/24: £202m), an increase of 11% year on year, despite investment in media & streaming, including BBC.com and UKTV, which both saw audience growth.
Tom Fussell, CEO of BBC Commercial said: “BBC Commercial has delivered a strong set of results, which show that our strategy is working and the investments made in previous years, together with a diversified portfolio, are delivering a trajectory of sustainable growth, despite ongoing global macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Together with the continuing recognition for the craft and creativity of our content studio and the demand for our content around the world, BBC Commercial is well placed to support a robust creative and entertainment industry and cement its role as a global ambassador for the best of UK content.”
BBC Studios’ highlights included feature film Conclave, made by wholly owned House Productions, which won four BAFTAs and an Academy Award, wholly owned Clerkenwell Films’ Baby Reindeer which won six Emmys, a 20th anniversary for Strictly Come Dancing and the continued popularity of the format’s international brand, Dancing with the Stars.
Factual title The Americas, narrated by Tom Hanks and made for NBC, became the most-watched nature documentary on US linear television for more than fifteen years. BBC Studios helped mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day including the RTS Programme Award-winning D-Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen. The business has expanded and consolidated its international production portfolio, now making programmes in ten territories worldwide.
The performance of BBC Studios’ brands and licensing business was led by global hit Bluey, as the children’s title was named the most-streamed programme in the US in 2024, the Bluey’s World immersive experience opened in Brisbane, Australia, and a feature film was announced in partnership with Disney+, set to arrive in cinemas in 2027.
The results mean that BBC Commercial remains on track to meet its five-year returns commitment of £1.5bn by 2026/27 (a 30% increase on the previous five-year period), having already delivered £1,028m during the first three years.
Staff Reporter
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