London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Sep 27, 2026

The Crown new season watched by 1.1m in UK on launch day, first official ratings say

The Crown new season watched by 1.1m in UK on launch day, first official ratings say

More than a million people in the UK watched the new series of The Crown on its first day of release, the drama's first official TV ratings show.

Netflix joined ratings system Barb last week, meaning viewing figures for the streaming giant's UK audience are available for the first time.

About 1.1 million people saw at least one episode of The Crown's season five on TV sets on Wednesday, Barb said.

That compares with 7.9 million who watched I'm A Celebrity on ITV.

However, the audience for The Crown's new season - which launched amid a flurry of controversy and publicity - will watch over a longer period, rather than all tuning in on one day.

And more will view it on laptops, tablets and mobiles, which are not included in the Barb figures.

Season five depicts the fortunes of the Royal Family in the 1990s, and has been criticised for taking liberties with historical accuracy.

The Barb figures suggested 666,000 people kept watching for episode two, and almost 300,000 saw episode three.

The ratings declined for each subsequent episode until an audience of about 100 was registered for the 10th and final episode - presumably the number that binged the whole series in a single day after its launch at 08:00 GMT.


Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki play Prince Charles, as he was then, and Princess Diana in series five

TV critic Scott Bryan said it is now possible to compare ratings for programmes on traditional broadcast channels and streaming services.

"It does show that streaming services perhaps aren't as massive, in terms of having millions of people watching a new show, as you might think, and that still millions of people are preferring to watch a traditional linear channel instead, and then maybe watch a Netflix show later on," he told BBC News.

The Crown's first-day figures will swell substantially in the coming months, he added.

"I thought it would be higher, but it's still early days. There will be people who would want to watch it immediately. Also I expect millions more will be watching this weekend, and I think Christmas is a huge opportunity for streaming services, because many people will catch up with shows that they have been meaning to get around to.

"Shows such as I'm A Celebrity do really well because there's a sense of urgency. People have to watch it now to find out the latest storylines, but they're not going to be watching it in weeks' time.

"That's not the case with The Crown. These dramas are essentially much longer lasting. They tend to build over time."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Analysis of Reform UK conference highlights deep political divisions over welfare and immigration
Bangladesh garment exports to the United Kingdom reach $915 million in early fiscal year
Royal Navy begins sea trials for new HMS Agamemnon hunter-killer submarine
New report suggests UK data centre expansion will create far fewer jobs than predicted
Major weekend closures announced for London Underground Piccadilly and Central lines
NHS leaders call for emergency winter funding to combat staffing shortages and rising illness
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas charged following alleged slashing of migrant dinghy
Home Secretary orders urgent review of border security following rise in small boat crossings
Prime Minister Andy Burnham to address Labour Party conference amid calls for long-term infrastructure plan
UK Treasury and Bank of England warn of rising inflation risks amid Middle East tensions
Royal Navy Diving Squadron Honoured for Global Bomb Disposal Efforts
UK State Pension Set to Approach £13,000 Per Year Under Triple-Lock
Rolls-Royce Wins Multi-Million-Pound Engine Contract with Philippine Airlines
TfL Questions Future of Heathrow Express Amid Proposed £33 Billion Expansion
Ed Miliband Warns Iran Against Hostile Operations on British Soil
S&P Global Manufacturing Index Signals Stabilization Amid Rising Fuel Costs
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Launches National Centre for Information Defence
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Surges to £21.1 Billion
OECD Upgrades United Kingdom Economic Growth Forecast to 1.1 Percent
Bank of England Faces Policy Challenges as Energy Prices Push Inflation Projections Higher
IMF Urges UK and Major Economies to Reduce Public Borrowing and Debt
UK Government Concedes Chagos Islands Sovereignty Deal is Dead Following Trump Opposition
Prosecutors Seek More Than 10 Years in Prison for Former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson
UK Provided £66 Million in Emergency Security Funding for Mosques After Southport Disorder
Manston Inquiry Examines Role of Government Decisions in 2022 Overcrowding Crisis
Justice System Capacity Pressures Raise Concerns Over Release of Sex Offenders
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Widens to Record £21.1 Billion
UK Releases Climate Security Findings Previously Withheld Under Starmer
TalkTalk Races to Sell Consumer and Broadband Businesses as Administration Threat Looms
NHS Bodies Impose Minimum Two-Year Waits for ADHD and Autism Assessments
Andy Burnham Pledges £210 Million to Revive Boarded-Up High Streets
UK Borrowing Reaches £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of Autumn Budget
Vistry Cuts Profit Outlook as Losses Deepen and Private Home Sales Weaken
Reported Assaults on Great Britain’s Railways Rise Sharply
Far-Right Activist Daniel Thomas Arrested After Channel Dinghy Slashing
Ukrainians in Britain Face Greater Homelessness Risk as Host Payments Are Cut
Scottish Drug Deaths Rise as Synthetic Opioids Spread
UK Diesel Prices Approach Record High as Energy Costs Intensify
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Widens to Record £21 Billion
Britain’s Largest Planned AI Supercomputer Delayed by Power Grid Constraints
NHS Boards Impose Minimum Waits of Up to Two Years for ADHD and Autism Assessments
Police Arrest Far-Right Activist After Migrant Dinghy Slashed in English Channel
Synthetic Opioids Drive Renewed Rise in Scotland’s Drug Deaths
Reported Assaults on Britain’s Railways Rise 20% in a Year
Vistry Cuts Profit Forecast as Losses Weigh on UK Housebuilder
TikTok Drops Appeal and Accepts £12.7 Million UK Data Protection Fine
Russell Group Urges UK Government to Drop Proposed International Student Levy
Legal & General Plans to Cut 1,000 Jobs by Mid-2027
UK Health Bill Would Remove Independent Governors From NHS Foundation Trusts
BMA Raises Patient Safety Concerns Over Advanced Practitioners Filling Doctor Rotas
×