Channel 4 says it delivered its biggest ever first-quarter streaming audience at the start of 2026, as a strong slate of drama, factual and entertainment titles pushed viewing higher and boosted its share among younger audiences.
Using newly consolidated BARB data, the broadcaster said it attracted more than 20 billion streaming minutes in the first 3 months of the year, up 22% year-on-year. Its share of commercial impacts among 16-34s also increased by 18%, with Channel 4 saying growth on both measures outpaced its peers.
The broadcaster said the performance keeps it on course to meet its longer-term streaming ambitions, with a mix of returning titles and new commissions driving the uplift.
Among the strongest performers was the remake of A Woman of Substance, which Channel 4 said delivered the biggest linear share for episode 1 of a new drama since The Accident in 2019, at 20%, while also becoming its most-viewed new drama on streaming since It’s a Sin in 2021, averaging 1.6 million streaming views per episode.
In unscripted, Handcuffed Last Pair Standing was described as one of Channel 4’s biggest streaming launches in the genre, with episode 1 passing 2 million streaming views.
Married At First Sight Australia was the top title across all broadcaster streaming services in March, according to Channel 4, with more than 1 billion minutes streamed during the month.
Other strong performers included Dirty Business, which Channel 4 said was its best-performing factual drama on streaming since Help in 2021, attracting 2.4 million viewers for episode 1 and 232 million streamed minutes across the series. Secret Genius drew 2.1 million viewers for its opening episode and generated 167 million streaming minutes.
Returning series also continued to perform strongly. Patience recorded a 69% year-on-year rise in streaming minutes across series 1 and 2 combined, while The Great Pottery Throw Down increased streaming by 29% to 677 million minutes, with series 9 also posting its biggest linear share to date at 16.5%.
Channel 4 said its ability to convert younger viewers to streaming remained a key differentiator. Among 16-34s, 56% of all Channel 4 viewing in Q1 took place via streaming, rising to 61% in March, which it said was higher than any other commercial broadcaster.
Streaming minutes among 16-34s rose 14% year-on-year during the quarter, helped by coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations and growth for The Great Pottery Throw Down, which nearly doubled its streaming minutes among younger viewers to 103 million.
Ian Katz, chief content officer at Channel 4, said the broadcaster’s “purposeful and distinctive slate” was continuing to attract viewers despite intense competition, adding that the performance of new and returning titles meant 2026 was shaping up to be a memorable year for the broadcaster.
