BBC Worldwide Reveals Most Frequently Bought Shows

LONDON: New data to mark the 40th anniversary of BBC Worldwide’s Showcase event reveals that the classic sitcom Keeping Up Appearances is the company’s most frequently bought show over the last four decades, while Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor Who was the most often bought drama series.

The most purchased drama series is Doctor Who season one that starred Eccleston as the ninth Doctor. First broadcast in 2005, the season has attracted 629 buyers from territories such as Bahrain, Hong Kong, France and Chile. Doctor Who was one of the titles screened to buyers at the very first Showcase in 1976, and the U.S. was the first country to license the show in 1978.

The first season of the comedy Keeping Up Appearances has been purchased 992 times across the globe. It was recently acquired by broadcasters in Australia, Bulgaria, Ireland, Nigeria, Denmark and Latvia.

The most bought natural history title is The Life of Mammals. Written and presented by Sir David Attenborough, the epic natural history series was first broadcast in 2002 and has been acquired 958 times.

The most bought factual entertainment series is Top Gear season nine, broadcast in 2006, which has clocked up 282 sales in countries. The very first international sale of a Top Gear title was to the Netherlands in 2003.

Paul Dempsey, the president of global markets, said: “We are extremely proud of our heritage and back catalogue so it’s fun to look back into the archives and celebrate the enduring appeal of some of our classic shows.

“But, at the same time, it’s clear that the priority for today’s audiences is event TV with high-production values so it’s no coincidence that our current best sellers are premium dramas like Doctor Who and Sherlock, high-end entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Top Gear, and our world-renowned natural history programs like The Hunt.”