Doctor Who named one of top British TV exports as UK show sales hit record US high
Other series that were flagged as selling well include Planet Earth III and Got Talent.
A report has found that sales of British shows to the US hit a record high in 2023, with Doctor Who flagged as a series that performed particularly well.
The latest UK TV Exports Report from Pact showed that UK distributor revenues from the US went up by 13 per cent to £593m ($751m) during 2023, topping the £574m generated during 2020, the first year of the pandemic.
Amongst the series which were noted as performing well in the report were Doctor Who, in the first year of the BBC's deal with Disney Plus to produce and distribute the show, as well as the likes of Boat Story, Planet Earth III and the Got Talent franchise.
Pact found that despite success in the US, British TV exports around the world fell slightly in 2023-24, down two per cent on the previous 12 months.
Scripted drama dominated the genre share of exports, although fell from 49 per cent to to 43 per cent from the previous year, while entertainment saw the biggest increase from 21 per cent to 27 per cent.
The Disney Plus Doctor Who deal is set to continue into 2025, with a second season of the show having already been shot. Meanwhile, a spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea, has also been produced.
Beyond that is less clear - the show has yet to be officially renewed by Disney for a third season under the deal, season 16, although showrunner Russell T Davies has assured fans this is nothing to worry about.
He previously told SFX Magazine: "It’s an industry decision, it's like any business – these things take time. I think the decision will come after the transmission of season two. That's what we're expecting, that's what we've always been heading towards."
Before this, Doctor Who will be back at Christmas for this year's festive special, Joy to the World, which has been written by Steven Moffat and stars Nicola Coughlan, alongside Fifteenth Doctor actor Ncuti Gatwa.
Read more:
- Doctor Who script confirms musical scene was cut from Ncuti Gatwa episode
- Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker opens up on getting back into character for audio spin-off
Doctor Who will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
