Producers’ trade body, Pact, has released its annual census showing independent TV production sector revenues increased to £3.81 billion over the reporting period, but PSB and linear multichannel spend in the UK declined year on year.
Total independent TV sector revenues were up by 4.1% to reach £3.81 billion in 2025, an increase of £149 million on 2024 revenues.
The census showed that this growth was largely driven by SVOD investment in the UK which reached record levels.
International TV revenues rose by £214 million to £1.57 billion (an increase of 15.8% year on year), growing for the first time since the post-Covid rebound in 2022.
Those international TV revenues represented 41.1% of total revenues in 2025 and reflected rising primary commissioning revenue across both linear and digital increasing to £1.27 billion – a 12.2% increase on 2024.
International digital commissions grew by 7.9% to a record £916 million, accounting for 72.3% of international TV revenue.
International sales of finished programmes returned to more standard levels after the 2023-24 production backlog led to a 26.8% decline in 2024.
However, the census showed that smaller companies (those earning under £25 million) accounted for only 15.5% of total international commissioning revenue.
Domestic TV revenues contracted by £98 million, falling just below the £2 billion mark for the first time in five years to £1.99 billion (4.7% year on year). This decline was driven largely by a drop in UK primary commissions by 4.67% to £1.65 billion with a small decline in PSB spend and a larger decline in multichannel spend.
The majority of primary commissioning revenue continued to originate from PSBs, with their share remaining steady at 85.9% (£1.42 billion).
Non-TV revenues grew by £34 million in 2025, having now more than doubled since 2022 (116% increase). This growth came from UK feature films, TV producers’ management and event production, and advertising, as producers continue to diversify their revenue streams from last year.
Secondary rights revenue grew by 12.7% from 2024 to £575 million in 2025 – a record level. This consisted of repeat fees and international sales of finished programming.
Revenue from distribution advances has also been steadily increasing since 2019, reaching 23% in 2025 (compared with 19% in 2024), the figures reflect the trend of producers taking on larger advances through the pre-sale of rights in the secondary market.
Spend on Nations and Regions productions returned to 52% in 2025, after falling to 48% in 2024. Scotland saw growth for the second consecutive year, with the share of primary commissioning revenue increasing by 4 percentage points in 2025 to 16% (compared with 12% in 2024).
Primary commissions produced in the Nations and Regions, such as Under Salt Marsh and Yorkshire Vet, generated £1.25 billion in revenue in 2025, a 7% increase on 2024, driven sharply by an increase in international commissioner spend. International commissions rose to 35% of all primary commissions, while the share of spend from UK PSB network commissions returned to 2023 levels at 58% (a 10% decrease).
Commenting on the Census findings, Pact CEO, Nigel Warner, said: “Pact’s 2026 census underlines once again the strength of the UK production market in attracting inward investment, but also its vulnerability to declining domestic spend. While it is welcome to see the proportion of investment in the nations and regions holding up, it is concerning that the pressures on new and smaller indies remain acute. A new settlement for a strong and sustainable BBC is urgently needed. The entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive the UK’s independent sector’s success, but we need to see growth in domestic PSB investment to help all parts of the production sector to thrive”.
Staff Reporter
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