Netflix and Amazon cut spend on UK shows as British broadcasters fight back

BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 spent record 1.45bn last year on shows from UK production companies

American streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon's Prime Video cut the amount they spent on British-made shows for the first time last year, as the UK's traditional broadcasters invested a record amount in a fightback against the global streamers.

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 spend on programmes from UK production companies rose 12% to a record 1.45bn last year, bouncing back from a decade low in 2020 when the Covid pandemic shut the industry down.