Doctor Who Classic becomes most streamed show on BritBox UK within days
By James Aggas
We knew that the Classic Series of Doctor Who would be successful on BritBox UK. But did we expect it to be this successful?
In something that’s come as no surprise to Whovians, the Classic Series of Doctor Who has recently become the most streamed series on BritBox UK, within just days of launching.
In some ways, this was to be expected. After all, the series is such a massive institution in its home of the UK. But it should be pointed out that, while there are usually many ways to watch the New Series (including BBC iPlayer), the number of ways to watch the Classic Series has been limited.
While DVDs are cheap and easy to get in the UK, it’s been rare to find the Classic Series on streaming services other than very, very few select stories. So it’s not surprising that when over 600 episodes suddenly become available to stream, fans would be eager for them. However, what is surprising is how much more watched it’s become compared to other series…
An impressive launch
Just three days after launching, episodes of the Classic Series have been watched more than any other series on BritBox UK – by a ratio of 20:1!
That’s impressive. There are many, many excellent shows on BritBox UK, including Downton Abbey, Cracker, Brideshead Revisited and Blackadder. That’s a huge amount of content for fans of British television to enjoy all in one place.
Like I said, I expected Doctor Who to do extremely well on BritBox. Honestly, it’s been a huge selling point for the service in North America for quite some time – there’s just nowhere else to watch this amount of Doctor Who content. While the New Series can draw more of an audience, the Classic Series still has huge appeal, both for fans who grew up with it and for New Series fans wanting to discover the history of the show.
More from Winter is Coming
- For All Mankind finally gives us information in Episode 405, “Goldilocks”
- Watch a stunning VFX breakdown of The Wheel of Time season 2
- Of course Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) thinks Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen) should rule Westeros
- Confirmed: The Last of Us season 2 will air in 2025
- Final season of Star Trek: Discovery will have “a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of fun”
Still, even I’m impressed that it’s done as well as it has for BritBox already. A ratio of 20:1 compared to all of BritBox’s other series is phenomenal, and is sure to make Doctor Who a major selling point for the service – if it wasn’t enough of a selling point already. Certainly, Reemah Sakaan, group launch director for ITV SVOD, seems extremely pleased with the results.
"We are so glad that subscribers are enjoying our fantastic Doctor Who Classic collection; the first of its kind available to stream in the UK. There has never been a better reason to miss a few nights’ sleep!"
There’s no question that the Classic Series has been a huge success for BritBox UK, and it’s fantastic to see it reaching such a huge audience – just days before a brand new series with the Thirteenth Doctor begins.
Next. The imagination and ambition of the First Doctor’s era. dark
Have you been watching Doctor Who on BritBox the past few days in the UK? Are you a long-term fan of the Classic series, or is this your first time watching episodes with the earlier Doctors? Let us know in the comments below.