Channel 4 records its biggest Christmas week on linear TV in over a decade for 2025

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It was a strong Christmas for Channel 4 on linear TV, new data has revealed.

The broadcaster had its most-watched Christmas week on traditional TV since 2012, according to ratings data from BARB.

Channel 4 saw a larger increase in traditional TV viewership compared to other channels. Its viewership rose by 9% year-over-year, while BBC One decreased by 17%, BBC Two grew by 3%, ITV1 by 2%, and 5 by 7%.

Channel 4 also saw significantly more growth in streaming viewers compared to other broadcasters. During the week of Christmas, their streaming minutes increased by 48% compared to the previous year. This outperformed the BBC (down 21%), Sky (down 12%), 5 (up 20%), and ITV (up 16%).

In December, Channel 4 saw a 13% increase in streaming viewers aged 16-34 compared to the previous year, largely due to coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Popular Channel 4 programs like Big Fat Quiz of the Year, 24 Hours in Police Custody, The Great British Bake Off’s holiday episodes, and Taskmaster Champion of Champions all contributed to this increase.

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This news follows recent reports showing Channel 4 is the fastest-growing streaming service. Viewers streamed 36% more content on the platform in September compared to the previous year.

Across the month, viewer minutes totalled more than 6 billion – a record for the broadcaster.

Authors

Molly MossTrends Writer

Molly Moss writes about the newest trends in television, movies, and other entertainment for TopMob. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has contributed to major publications like The Guardian, The Times, and The Sun Online.

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2026-01-07 13:04