London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

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
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×