Paramount-Owned Channel 5 Wins UK Streaming Growth Battle In 2024

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 5 streamer My5 grew at double the rate of its competitors last year, according to research supplied by the Paramount-owned network.

Views to the All Creatures Great and Small streamer rose by 53%, Channel 5 said, which was well ahead of BBC iPlayer in second place with 24%. According to the data, which came from ratings agency Barb’s TV Viewing Minutes year-on-year growth breakdowns, ITVX was third with 22% and Channel 4 posted 15%. During this era of linear decline, UK broadcasters have consistently talked up their streaming services as a way of arresting a drop-off in overnight viewers.

My5 admittedly comes from a lower audience base than its larger rivals and Channel 5 declined to give numbers. Channel 5 highlighted shows that have broken out on My5 including All Creatures Great and Small, which airs on PBS in the U.S., and Sheridan Smith-starring thriller The Teacher. There was also non-scripted fare such as the headline-grabbing Phillip Schofield: Castaway – the presenter’s first show since his exit in disgrace from ITV’s This Morning.

The news comes with My5 and Channel 5 rebranding to, simply, 5, which will take place in two months’ time. The rebranded streamer will feature more shows from the likes of Paramount stables MTV, CBS and Comedy Central, along with some samples from the Paramount+ streamer.

Paramount is of course going through the Skydance sale process and with chatter around its future ownership in doubt, UK boss Sarah Rose recently said Channel 5 remains part of the American studio’s ecosystem. Channel 5 increased operating profit in 2023 but took a huge hit on a one-off payment to a Paramount Global subsidiary.

Channel 5 Chief Content Officer Ben Frow said: “2024 was a huge year for My5 as our viewers really discovered the depth of content, particularly our Channel 5 dramas, that we have on the service.  We know that audiences increasingly want to switch seamlessly between streaming and linear TV and that’s why in March we are relaunching both our services under the combined brand of 5 with a significantly greater range of programming on offer.”