YouTube has become the UK’s second-most watched video service, trailing only the BBC and surpassing ITV, according to Ofcom’s 2025 "Media Nations" report on national media habits. British viewers spent an average of 39 minutes per day on YouTube in 2024, with 16 of those minutes viewed via household TV sets. While broadcast television still accounts for 56% of in-home viewing, traditional habits are shifting rapidly, especially among younger demographics.
Among children aged 4–15, one in five (20%) now use YouTube as their first destination upon turning on the television. For adults aged 16–34, average YouTube viewing on TV reached 18 minutes daily. Even the 55+ demographic, once considered resistant to digital disruption, is shifting; their average daily YouTube TV-set usage rose from 6 minutes in January 2023 to 11 minutes by December 2024. Notably, 42% of YouTube viewing by over-55s occurred on TV sets by the end of 2024, up from 33% the year prior.
Overall, the average Briton spent 4 hours and 30 minutes per day watching TV and video at home last year. Broadcast TV time fell 4% year-over-year to 2 hours 24 minutes per day, with the steepest declines among 16–24-year-olds. This group now watches just 17 minutes of live TV per day, and only 45% tune in to broadcast television weekly—down from 48% in 2023. Less than a quarter of their in-home video viewing is to traditional broadcaster content, compared to 90% among viewers aged 75 and older.
YouTube’s content is also evolving to resemble conventional television, with half of its top-trending videos now taking the form of long-form interviews, documentaries, or game show formats. This positions the platform as a direct competitor to ad-supported TV while also creating new distribution opportunities for public service broadcasters. ITV and Channel 4, for example, now release full-length programs on YouTube while retaining control of advertising. According to Ofcom, such partnerships are vital to ensuring the long-term survival and prominence of public service media, as outlined in its recent “Transmission Critical” report.
Ed Leighton, Ofcom’s Interim Group Director for Strategy and Research, said, “Scheduled TV is increasingly alien to younger viewers, with YouTube the first port of call for many when they pick up the TV remote. But we’re also seeing signs that older adults are turning to the platform as part of their daily media diet too. Public service broadcasters are recognising this shift—moving to meet audiences in the online spaces where they increasingly spend their time. But we need to see even more ambition in this respect to ensure that public service media that audiences value survives long into the future.”
Meanwhile, video-on-demand usage averaged 40 minutes per day in 2024. Netflix led the category, with UK viewers spending 22 minutes daily on the platform—more than half of total streaming time. While Netflix dominated on-demand viewing, BBC and ITV continued to capture major live audiences. The BBC’s “Gavin and Stacey: The Finale” drew 18.6 million viewers, followed by “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” with 16.9 million. ITV’s “Mr Bates vs The Post Office” episode four rounded out the top three with 14.7 million. The Euro 2024 Spain vs. England final attracted 19.8 million viewers, making it the year’s most-watched live sports event.
In Q1 2025, Netflix’s "Adolescence" became the first streaming title to top weekly TV ratings, garnering 12.2 million viewers by the end of March.
The report also detailed shifting audio habits. Ninety-three percent of UK adults now listen to some form of audio content each week, with that figure climbing to 98% among 16–34-year-olds. YouTube led online audio services at 47%, followed by Spotify at 36%. BBC Sounds remained the top digital service among traditional broadcasters with a 24% share.
Among 15–34-year-olds, 58% of weekly listening time is now spent on music streaming and podcasts—nearly double the national average of 30% and up sharply from 40% in 2019. Video podcasting is also on the rise, with platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Global Player increasingly offering visual formats to engage broader audiences.
As YouTube redefines media consumption across all age groups and connected TVs become the new battleground, the platform’s rise signals both an opportunity and an urgent challenge for traditional broadcasters and content providers to evolve their digital strategies.
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