Four of Netflix’s ten biggest shows so far this year originated from the UK.
Quay Street Production’s North West drama, Fool Me Once, had 108m viewers.
Also in the Top 10 were Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer at 88m and Edinburgh-based One Day (39m).
“Fool Me Once has captured audiences around the world and its recognition as the global most watched series of 2024 so far, is a testament to the whole team and our ongoing partnership with the master of twists and turns, Harlan Coben,” said Quay Street Productions Executive Producer, Richard Fee.
“At Quay Street Productions we always set out to make entertaining television and the overwhelming response has exceeded our wildest dreams. Thank you to Netflix and to everyone who has joined us on this thrilling journey”.
Today’s figures cover the period from January until June and during that time, Netflix viewers watched 94bn hours.
| Views | ||
| 1 | Fool Me Once: Limited Series | 107,500,000 |
| 2 | Bridgerton: Season 3 | 91,900,000 |
| 3 | Baby Reindeer: Limited Series | 87,600,000 |
| 4 | The Gentlemen: Season 1 | 75,900,000 |
| 5 | Avatar The Last Airbender: Season 1 | 71,100,000 |
| 6 | Griselda: Limited Series | 69,200,000 |
| 7 | American Nightmare: Season 1 | 55,000,000 |
| 8 | 3 Body Problem: Season 1 | 52,400,000 |
| 9 | Berlin: Season 1 // Berlín: Temporada 1 | 48,500,000 |
| 10 | One Day: Limited Series | 39,400,000 |
| 11 | Bridgerton: Season 1 | 38,400,000 |
| 12 | Bridgerton: Season 2 | 34,200,000 |
| 13 | The Asunta Case: Limited Series // El caso Asunta: Miniserie | 30,700,000 |
| 14 | Queen of Tears: Limited Series // 눈물의 여왕: 리미티드 시리즈 | 29,200,000 |
| 15 | Peppa Pig: Season 6 | 27,500,000 |
| 16 | My Life With the Walter Boys: Season 1 | 27,200,000 |
| 17 | Eric: Limited Series | 26,400,000 |
| 18 | Testament: The Story of Moses: Season 1 | 26,300,000 |
| 19 | Raising Voices: Season 1 // Ni una más: Temporada 1 | 25,400,000 |
| 20 | Parasyte: The Grey: Limited Series // 기생수: 더 그레이: 리미티드 시리즈 | 25,400,000 |
Elsehwere, titles from Spain (Society of the Snow 104m, Berlin 49m, The Asunta Case 31m and Raising Voices 25m) and Korea (Queen of Tears 29m, Parasyte: The Grey 25m and My Demon 18m) were the most popular non-English language productions.
The figures also show the popularity of the Bridgerton franchise, with season 3 alone having 92m views in less than 2 months.
Earlier this week, Ted Sarandos, the co-Chief Executive of Netflix, told the Royal Television Society Conference that the UK was “the birthplace of prestige television” with the streaming giant currently producing more than 100 shows and films here.
“You have some of the very best writers, directors, producers, actors, crew, crafts and locations anywhere in the world. I have always thought of the UK as the birthplace of prestige television — a creative culture unlike any other,” he said.
“It’s why Netflix invests more here than any other country outside the U.S. Since 2020, we’ve invested $6bn in the UK creative community — and worked with over 30,000 cast and crew.
“Today we have over 100 productions active in the UK.”
He added:
“This wealth of talent is a Great British success story. Because it didn’t happen by accident.
“It happened because you have great public service broadcasters and institutions that nurture British talent and creativity. Institutions like the RTS, the oldest television society in the world.
“It happened because you’ve consistently supported regulations that encourage creativity, innovation and long term thinking.
“And it happened because you invested in education and training in the creative arts at every level, as well as investing in your amazing facilities. All of which have been supported by highly competitive tax incentives which make the UK an even more attractive place for anyone looking to make a film or show.
“Filming here in Britain is always a privilege, and never a sacrifice.
“In other words, Britain became one of the best countries in the world for TV and film because you made it happen.
“And now, with competition for people’s time and attention so high — and barriers to entry in entertainment so low — it’s time to make it happen again.”
He pointed added that authenticity was the key to a show’s success:
“It’s why when we greenlight a series or movie in the UK, or Mexico or Korea, we do it because we think our British, our Mexican and our Korean audiences will love it.
“And you know what? When you make something authentic that appeals to certain people in a certain place, it tends to appeal to a lot of other people in a lot of other places, too.
“Take Supacell, a story about five superpowered South Londoners that became a huge hit in America. Or Baby Reindeer, which hit #1 on Netflix’s Top 10 in 79 countries, and took home 6 Emmys, including Best Limited Series. Or Heartstopper, which has spoken to a whole new generation of viewers from Brazil to Japan. Or The Gentlemen, which was loved in countries from Norway to Nigeria.
“All of them became global sensations because they were all, in their own way, authentically British. Made in the UK for UK audiences by UK creators with UK casts and crews.”
