UK shows 'boost digital watching'

Little Britain made its TV debut on BBC Three

Shows like Little Britain and Funland helped boost the number of people watching digital TV channels in 2005, the BBC has said.

More than three million new viewers tuned into the BBC's digital channels this year - up from 14m to 17m.

The BBC's digital channels are BBC Three, BBC Four, CBeebies, CBBC, BBC News 24 and BBC Parliament.

Jana Bennett, BBC director of TV, said: "The BBC's portfolio of digital channels has really come into its own."

Factual shows

She added: "We are meeting digital viewers' appetites for original British programming: from The Thick of It to Little Britain and from The Lost Decade to Funland, as well as with our brilliant and bold children's services.

"Last year, our digital channels reached 41.5% of digital viewers; this year, that figure has risen to 44% - significant growth when set within the context of the remorseless expansion of the multi-channel universe."

BBC Three's annual share among all individuals in digital homes in primetime grew by 27% - a growth ahead of all channels bar E4.

Comedies such as Nighty Night, dramas like Casanova and factual shows like The House of Tiny Tearaways helped increase the average weekly reach by 35% - from 6.5million to 8.8 million.

News channel

Similarly, BBC Four's annual share has increased by 20% to 0.58%, from 0.48% in the previous year.

Recent highlights on the channel have included Armando Iannucci's acclaimed comedy The Thick Of It.

Both CBeebies and CBBC have grown in terms of share, with CBBC to taking a 5.7% share among children.

Meanwhile, new shows like Charlie and Lola have given CBeebies a 6.4% share among children - up on last year by 0.2 share points.

And viewers support for News 24 has established the channel as the UK's leading news channel.