UK film and high-end TV production spending falls to £5.2 billion
The British Film Institute’s first-reported total for the year ending September 2026 was £5.2 billion (about $6.9 billion), a reported £2.08 billion (about $2.8 billion) lower than a year earlier, following an unusually strong comparison period.
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Spending on UK film and high-end television production in the year ending September 2026 was £5.2 billion (about $6.9 billion), a reported £2.08 billion (about $2.8 billion) less than a year earlier, according to first-reported British Film Institute (BFI) figures.
The comparison follows a strong 2025 period that included production on Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the first installment of the Harry Potter television series. The Guardian put spending in the year ending September 2025 at £7.26 billion. Those displayed totals imply a fall of about 28.4%, though they do not exactly reconcile with the reported cash decline.
Latest · 11 November 2026
The Guardian has revised its reported annual decline in UK film and high-end television production spending from 40% to 28%. The spending totals imply a fall of about 28.4%, or £2.06 billion, which does not exactly match the reported cash decline. The British Film Institute figures remain provisional and classified as first reported; the change is to The Guardian’s account, not a new institute release.
Why the figures may change
The national measure covers UK production spending by domestic and international broadcasters, Hollywood studios and streaming companies. High-end television means shows costing at least £1 million per episode.
The national figures are separate from ITV’s own programming budget. The Guardian reports that ITV plans £30 million in temporary savings, including £25 million in content, and has agreed to sell its television and streaming business to Sky while retaining its studios business.
The BFI revises production data each reporting period because complete information arrives with a lag. It said the final 2025 spending figures were revised upward by £900 million (about $1.2 billion) from their first-reported level.
A BFI spokesperson said the figures reflected shifts in the global industry and increased competition from other production territories, as well as the strong comparison. The BFI and the British Film Commission are examining the situation closely, the spokesperson said.
The full-year 2026 statistics, including a breakdown of production numbers and spending, are scheduled for release on 9 February 2027.
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Sources
- Guardian BusinessITV to cut show budgets as UK TV and film production spend drops by more than £2bn
- bfi-rsu.github.ioBFI statistics summary – Screen sector statistics to June 2026
- gov.ukFilm and high-end television programme production in the UK, Full Year January to December 2026 - Official statistics announcement - GOV.UK