Annual Report and Accounts
Our assessment of the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s performance over the last 12 months
Each year we publish our Annual Report and Accounts which contains our assessment of how we have delivered our mission and public purposes and the extent to which the commitments set out in the Annual Plan, as well as regulatory and other commitments, have been met.
This year’s Annual Report and Accounts provides details on some of our cultural, social, and economic achievements during 2025/26.
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94% of UK adults use our services on average per month (81% per week) [Source: Compass by Ipsos UK] -
73% of UK adults say that the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ is ‘for all’, more than any other media provider [Source: Yonder, 1,050 UK adults 18+. Disagree: 15%] -
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ remains the most used brand for media in the UK [Source: Compass by Ipsos UK]
The Best of the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ in 2025/26 (in under three and a half minutes)
There is no other country in the world that has a media organisation like the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ. We are an instrument of social cohesion in a world where division, disruption, and distrust are becoming a way of life.
Reinventing the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ to fulfil its mission for audiences in a complex, fast-moving world is our duty and our challenge.
Our audiences own the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ. Examine our performance over the past year by looking at how we’re used and perceived by the people of the UK and how this has changed.
Engaging with audiences
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s Charter requires that the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ must ‘carefully and appropriately assess the views and interests of the public and audiences, including licence fee payers’, and ‘ensure that the diverse perspectives and interests of the public and audiences, including licence fee payers, are taken into account in its decision-making’.
How we met our audience goals is set out in the Our Audiences section. In the section below, we set out the channels through which we directly engage with audiences.
In 2025 we undertook our biggest ever listening exercise through the Our Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ, Our Future questionnaire. This was designed to ensure that the voice of the audience is at the heart of the debate about the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s future as we look ahead to the review of our Royal Charter beyond 2027.
In total, 872,701 account holders shared their views, giving us a powerful picture of what people across the UK want and need from the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ as we reinvent what we do for the future.
In March, the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ published a response to the Government’s Green Paper on the review of our Royal Charter beyond 2027. It set out both the scale of the challenges we face and the exciting opportunities ahead.
Our response made the case for the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ as a vital national asset – one that belongs to everyone in the UK and represents a shared investment in our culture, our communities, our economy and our democracy at a time when this has never been more needed. Yet it was also clear-eyed about the growing jeopardy – both for the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ and the UK as a whole.
A Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ for All
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ has long upheld a distinctive mission: to inform, educate, and entertain everyone. This mission, enshrined in the Royal Charter alongside the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s five public purposes, remains the foundation of everything we do at the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ.
As the world changes, the role the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ plays for the UK is changing too. We want to offer outstanding value to all audiences in the years ahead whilst supporting the UK’s democracy, creative economy and society. That’s why, aligned with our five public purposes, the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ is focused on three roles that are essential in today’s world.
- Pursue truth with no agenda by reporting fearlessly and fairly
- Back the best homegrown storytelling by investing in British talent and creativity
- Bring people together by connecting everyone to unmissable content
Three Essential Roles
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Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ News’ international weekly reach, an increase of 12% year on year -
The increase in monthly views on Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ News’ TikTok – rising from 367 million in 2024/25 to 883 million this year -
The number of views on Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ News live online pages in the week of the Kent meningitis outbreak
In an uncertain and fast-changing world, with truth and facts under growing assault, the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s commitment to impartial, accurate and trusted news and information is needed now more than ever.
It is our promise to the UK and audiences worldwide. Brave, public service journalism – local, national and international – which strengthens our democracy, our national security, and our society, available digitally, on audio and on video for all.
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Amount contributed by the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ to the UK economy last financial year, of which 67% goes directly into the creative industries. -
8/10 of the most watched scripted comedies in 2025/26 were on the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ. -
The average audience for episode one of the second series of The Night Manager, making it the most watched Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ drama debut in three years.
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s commitment to backing homegrown storytelling is unique in its ambition, scale, and impact. As our media landscape continues to fragment, homegrown creativity is increasingly at risk of being squeezed out by global content.
In response, we must offer value to all licence fee payers by reflecting, representing and sharing stories from every part of the country, ensuring our economic impact is felt across the nations and regions, and showcasing the very best of the UK’s cultural identity to the world.
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The Celebrity Traitors final attracted an average audience of over 15 million to the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ -
The 2025 Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Children in Need appeal raised more than £45m to help children and young people across the UK -
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ remains the UK’s number one radio brand – listened to by over 30 million people on average per week
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ is a unique and unifying force in our society, vital in countering the growing crisis of trust which leaves so many of us feeling isolated and divided.
Whilst social media echo chambers drive us apart, the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ provides a space where the whole of the UK public can come together for the biggest national moments, to engage in open, civil debate, and to share experiences and find common ground.
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ exists to serve all audiences across the UK, delivering value for every licence fee payer.
Central to this mission is a commitment to ensure that the diversity of the UK’s voices, cultures and experiences are reflected in our journalism, storytelling and creative output – and that the economic and social impact of the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ is felt across the nations and regions.
Find out how the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ is delivering where you are
More from the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Annual Report 2025/26
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This section looks in detail at how the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ operates: our finances; how we recruit, develop and retain the best people; and how we prioritise environmental sustainability. -
This section sets out key achievements for the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ's commercial operations during the financial year and the outlook for the year ahead. -
This section looks in detail at the role of the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Board and includes reports from the Board’s delegated subcommittees. It also includes detail on our overall approach to corporate governance, our regulatory position and affirmation of the Board’s duties in relation to the Annual Report. -
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