limelight

SMALL SCREEN STAR OF THE

British television is more popular overseas than ever, winning both viewers and awards across the globe. Lorraine Shah reports

Ask pretty much anyone from overseas the thing that they most associate with and like about the UK, and their answer will almost inevitably include ‘television’. Not only did we invent it (Scottish engineer John Logie Baird is widely credited with the development of the fi rst- ever television system), we also continue to make some of the most watched and admired TV programmes in the world. The UK produces thousands of hours

of domestic television content each year – much of which is exported overseas. Finished programmes such as Spooks, Sherlock, Life on Mars, Doctor Who and Midsomer Murders, to name just a few, have secured unprecedented global success, being broadcast in millions of homes across fi ve continents.

The UK is also the world leader in

the production and export of innovative TV formats such as The X Factor, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing on Ice, The Weakest Link and Top Gear, which have been bought in droves by overseas television companies wanting to adapt them for their own home-grown audiences. Judith Rooney, screen project

manager at UK Trade & Investment, says: “The UK television industry has an unrivalled international reputation for the quality, quantity, creativity and diversity of its programming. “From the worldwide success of our

entertainment formats, to the growing appetite for slick British drama series and groundbreaking documentaries,

UK television programme makers have never been in a stronger position when it comes to exporting their shows to the rest of the world.”

TOP OF THE BOX Key markets for the UK television industry include North and South America, Australasia and Europe (particular Scandinavia), which spend millions of pounds each year not only on buying the broadcasting rights to UK TV shows but also on purchasing related merchandise and spin-off products such as DVDs and books. A major factor behind this success is

the originality and pioneering spirit of the UK television industry, a world leader in the fi eld of digital broadcasting and the

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springboard: | www.ukti.gov.uk | page 37

Photograph: AllStar Photos