In the 2024/25 financial year, the BBC's commercial arm (primarily BBC Studios) generated record revenues of £2.155 billion.
This money is earned through selling programmes, formats, and brands (like Bluey, Doctor Who, and Dancing with the Stars) to other broadcasters, streaming platforms, and international markets, rather than through the UK license fee.
Key details regarding this income include:
- Total Commercial Revenue: £2.155 billion in 2024/25.
- Profit Returned to BBC: The commercial operations generated an EBITDA profit of £228 million in 2024/25, which is returned to the public service side to help fund programming.
- Growth Driver: The record revenue was largely driven by global sales of the children's brand Bluey and growth in streaming services like BritBox International.
- Total Revenue Context: This commercial income, along with the license fee (roughly £3.8bn), brought the total BBC Group income to approximately £5.9 billion in 2024/25.
While the commercial arm is booming, the BBC noted that this does not plug the entire gap left by a license fee that has seen reduced income in real terms since 2010.
Stop trying to compete with commercial channels with programmes which are puerile.
Think Value (in every sense of the word) for money
