BBC global audience tops 500 million for first time
July 8, 2026 12.33 Europe/London By Julian Clover


The BBC says its international audience has exceeded half a billion people a week for the first time, driven by strong digital growth and demand for trusted news coverage during major global events.

The broadcaster’s global weekly audience reached 502 million during the past year, an increase of 11%, according to new figures covering BBC News, the BBC World Service and international content distributed by BBC Studios.

BBC News increased its international reach by almost 50 million people to 467 million, while the BBC World Service attracted 355 million weekly users, accounting for more than 70% of the BBC’s overseas audience. The corporation said its digital transformation helped drive a more than 40% increase in the World Service’s digital audience.

Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, said: “I’d like to thank BBC teams across the world for delivering outstanding journalism just when the world needs it most. We have seen growth from all corners of the globe as people come to our journalism in record-breaking numbers for the breadth and depth of BBC reporting.”

He added: “We have consistently delivered distinctive and impartial coverage and, importantly, retained our position as the most trusted news provider in the UK and around the world.”

The strongest audience growth came from digital and social platforms. The BBC said BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo increased their audiences by 58% and 40% respectively, largely through TikTok and Instagram, while BBC News Ukrainian more than tripled its reach as the war in Ukraine continued. BBC News Persian reached almost 25 million people during the conflict involving Iran, with the BBC describing it as the largest Persian-language media outlet outside the country.

Fiona Crack, Interim Global Director of BBC News, said: “The digital transformation of our global services means millions more people now benefit from the insightful, impactful journalism that our courageous and innovative teams continue to deliver.”

The figures come as the BBC continues to expand its digital-first international strategy, including the launch of BBC News Polska last year – its first new language service in seven years – alongside new TikTok channels across several language services.

India remains the BBC’s largest international market with a weekly audience of 74 million, followed by the United States, Nigeria, Iran and Tanzania. The broadcaster also noted that 76% of the BBC World Service’s audience is in countries with low levels of press freedom, underlining its role as an international news provider.