Channel 4 unveils most streamed shows of 2023 as viewing grows by 24%: A spectacular line-up of binge-worthy entertainment

21 December 2023

• The Great British Bake Off and Russell Brand: In Plain Sight: Dispatches are the most streamed single episodes of the year, with The Couple Next Door, The Piano, Banged Up and Partygate all crashing the top 20   
• Married at First Sight Australia and Married at First Sight UK are the two most streamed shows of 2023, reaching 6.8 billion viewer minutes combined with Married at First Sight New Zealand 
• Overall Channel 4 streaming viewing time is up by 24% on 2022, equivalent to more than 10.2 billion minutes, with over 53.5 billion viewer minutes consumed in total this year 

Channel 4 today unveils its 20 most streamed episodes and top series of 2023, in a year that has seen a 24% increase in streaming minutes, and over 53.5 billion viewer minutes consumed on the streaming platform overall.  

A delectable journey into the world of baking excellence tops the list, with Episode 1 from Series 14 of The Great British Bake Off reaching a staggering 243 million viewing minutes on the streaming platform, followed by the agenda-setting Russell Brand: In Plain Sight: Dispatches documentary, with 170 million viewing minutes recorded.  

The list continues with a diverse mix of captivating content that have kept audiences across the UK hooked, from love and betrayal featuring in The Couple Next Door (Series 1, Episode 1, 51m minutes), sweet symphonies heard in The Piano (Series 1, Episode 1, 49.6m minutes) and gripping stories of gangs and more in Banged Up: Stars Behind Bars (Series1, Episode 1, 49.5m minutes).  

The top 20 most streamed single episodes of 2023, based on highest episode and ranked by streaming viewing minutes, are:   

1. The Great British Bake Off: Series 14, Episode 1– 243 million  
2. Russell Brand: In Plain Sight: Dispatches: Series 1, Episode 1– 170 million  
3. Married at First Sight UK: Series 8, Episode 1– 120 million  
4. Married at First Sight Australia: Series 10, Episode 2– 103 million  
5. The Light in the Hall: Series 1, Episode 5– 89 million 
6. The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C: Series 6, Episode 1– 86 million 
7. International Football; Scotland v England – 84 million 
8. Taskmaster: Series 15, Episode 1– 63.7 million 
9. Gogglebox: Series 21, Episode 1– 63.3 million 
10. Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins: Series 5, Episode 1– 51.7 million 
11. The Couple Next Door: Series 1, Episode 1– 51 million 
12. The Piano: Series 1, Episode 1– 49.6 million  
13. Banged Up: Stars Behind Bars: Series 1, Episode 1– 49.5 million 
14. Partygate: Series 1, Episode 1– 49.3 million 
15. 24 Hours in Police Custody: Series 4, Episode 4– 47.3 million 
16. Celebrity Hunted: Series 5, Episode 1– 47 million  
17. Celebrity Gogglebox: Series 5, Episode 1– 45 million  
18. Alone: Series 1, Episode 2 – 40.3 million 
19. The Great Pottery Throw Down: Series 6, Episode 2– 40.2 million 
20. Before We Die: Series 2, Episode 1– 38 million  

Channel 4 is also revealing key highlights of the most streamed series across the platform. Love was definitely in the air in 2023, as Married at First Sight UK and Married at First Sight Australia secured the top two spots, and combined with Married at First Sight New Zealand, reached 6.8 billion viewing minutes respectively, while comedy gold reigned supreme as Taskmaster landed in third place with 2.2 billion viewing minutes recorded. Other notable titles included The Great British Bake off, Hollyoaks and The Light in the Hall.  

The wide array of distinctive content helped Channel 4 streaming platform increase viewership by 24% year-over-year - equivalent to more than 10 billion additional minutes watched in 2023 (based on data from January 1 to December 5). 

Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer, Ian Katz said: "With our most streamed shows of the year ranging from a resurgent Great British Bake Off to surprise hit of the year, The Piano via the uncompromising drama doc Partygate, this list is testament to Channel 4’s commitment to delivering original, compelling and hugely entertaining shows with something to say about Britain and the way we live. At the end of a year that saw our slate pick up more awards than in any year in the channel’s history, I’m delighted to see our distinctive and risk-taking output resonating with our audience.”  

Channel 4 streaming across the UK 

Channel 4 streaming continues to engage viewers across the UK. The platform has seen the most significant surge in Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, with a remarkable +54% year-over-year increase. Other notable regions experiencing substantial growth include Wales with an uptake of +37% and the Northwest also tracking at +37%.  

Taskmaster took the lead as the undisputed King of the East Midlands (125 million viewing minutes) and the South of England (283 million viewing minutes) as the most-viewed title across both regions. The Northwest of England showcased an insatiable appetite for Married at First Sight with 468 million viewing minutes recorded for MAFS UK, and the Australian and New Zealand versions securing second and sixth position in their top 10 shows.  

In Wales, Hollyoaks secured the third position with 179 million viewing minutes recorded, trailing closely behind MAFS Australia & MAFS UK, demonstrating a diverse and region-specific viewership. A year on since the last episode aired, Derry Girls continued to be a fan favourite in Northern Ireland taking eighth spot at 19 million viewing minutes recorded.  

Channel 4 streaming continues to shape the landscape of streaming services, offering a unique blend of content that resonates with audiences nationwide. As the platform continues to grow, viewers can expect even more exciting and engaging content in the coming months. 

Notes to Editors 

• Channel 4 streaming has 28m+ registered users – including 85% of the UK’s young people 
• Barb is the broadcast industry’s standard for determining what people are watching, integrating people-based panel data with census-level online viewing data