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The format for The Weakest Link was licensed to 75 countries with the Mandarin version launched in China in February 2002
 

We grew TV sales by
15% to £172 million
against a flat market

BBC Worldwide achieved a 15% increase in television sales to £172 million over the financial year. At the same time, we increased our investment in BBC programmes from £76 million to £81 million.

BBC Worldwide has built its lead as Europe’s top exporter of television programmes.

Our biggest single earner of the year was The Weakest Link, one of our most profitable formats ever. It contributed over £10m in sales and made a huge impact on America’s NBC network. The Blue Planet was also outstandingly popular with audiences in more than 40 countries, as was Walking with Beasts.


The BBC/A&E co-production of Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, featuring movie-quality digital animation and an all-star cast, was also a favourite, selling to 23 countries.

Against the flat UK television export market of the last two years, we have beaten the trend by increasing investment in BBC programme rights and raising our visibility around the world.


Our network of international wholly owned and joint venture channels has played a key role, reaching over 460 million homes cumulatively and providing vital shop windows for the BBC brand, programmes and talent. BBC Worldwide derives programme licensing revenues from the channels and has varying degrees of equity in them.
 
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