Understanding the Remaking of UK TV Shows and Formats to International Versions

remaking uk tv shows dr who to international versions 2021

With the world in awe of UK TV content, it is no surprise that TV producers are remaking the content to suit global audiences. UK comedy shows, reality series, and period dramas have remade international versions that are selling in large markets. Here’s a further breakdown of UK content that has taken on this trajectory

Scripted Films

Those categorized as scripted shows include series, sitcoms, and dramas. Some of the UK scripted shows that have been remade into international versions include:

  • Doctor Who
  • Doctor Foster
  • The Office
  • His Dark Materials
  • Misfits
  • Luther

Undeniably, these shows have been successful on streaming platforms and broadcast TV. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all shows. Renowned Britain shows such as The Inbetweeners, Broadchurch, and Skins made more success in the UK than in the US. It could be because the scripts were unchanged or that the viewers could not relate to the content.

Unscripted TV Formats

Dating shows and talent competitions are a few of the formats that fall under this category. Below are some formats with international variants:

  • First Dates
  • Come Dine with Me
  • Planet Earth
  • Got Talent
  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
  • Love Island
  • Strictly Come Dancing
  • Great British Bake Off
  • Googlebox

Revenue from scripted drama has been the highest revenue source for the nation. However, it could be difficult to ignore the impressive revenue from UK unscripted formats. Last year, these formats had a 42% revenue contribution to the international export sales.

Remarkable UK TV Exports

With the global acceptance of UK content, Betway Casino online has looked into the most successful UK TV Exports of all time. Here are the categories of the greatest UK TV exports:

  • Better than the originals
  • Money makers
  • Most watched
  • Widest reach

Better than the originals

The first season of The Office (US) was similar to the UK version. However, the following seasons took on a more suitable storyline for the US market. Though the Office (US) had six episodes in its first season, the second season has twenty-two episodes. With more views, The Office (US) managed to be on air for nine whole seasons.

The Office (US) is rated 8.9, while its UK version is 8.5 on IMDb. As for the show’s international popularity, the US version ranks 26, whereas the UK ranks at number 558.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is one of the UK formats that has managed productions of close to 100 versions. The US audience for the 2020 format reboot was incredible. The format has 5.6 million viewers, with 6.5 million people watching its finale.

Money Makers

France, Denmark, Italy, and the USA are among the 26 markets worldwide that have licensed The Great British Bake Off. It explains why factual UK programs take up 28% of the national export revenue.

With £50 million in revenue, Top Gear earns its top position among the top export earners. Top Gear has 350 million viewers around the globe in 214 territories.

Most Watched

The Office (US) was the most-watched UK export on Netflix in 2020 with 57 billion streaming minutes. UK unscripted formats continue to raise the bar and rank highly in comparison. Strictly Come Dancing or Dancing with the Stars has screen time in 50 countries. Throughout the 270 seasons, the format has had 500 million views.

Widest Reach

In 2020, the reality talent show Got Talent had 78 sales worldwide, whereas Strictly Come Dancing got 63 sales. Other shows such as Idols and X-Factor secured 56 sales each.

The international markets have taken to British period dramas such as Vera and Downtown Abbey. Nearly 250 territories globally have these English historical shows. Midsomer Murders, as well as Agatha Christie’s Poirot, are among the classic UK crime series that have secured large sales.

Projections on UK TV Export Sector

Currently, the UK media and entertainment industry has £71.3 billion in generated revenue. In the coming years, the revenue is expected to increase. A revenue raise would be met by unmatched quality and quantity of UK TV shows. Subsequently, this will translate into a sales boost for TV exports.

On-demand video subscription is also expected to rise as the global subscription increase. The UK industry will benefit from these as part of its global sales come from these subscription platforms.

Final Thought

Aside from its TV shows, UK also takes pride in its football team. It is a well-known fact that the exceptional performance of the team players is appreciated with high salaries. Among the highest paid soccer players in the UK are David De Gea and Raheem Sterling. Other highly paid players on the England football team are Gareth Bale, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire, Erling Haaland, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.