Seven of Netflix’s biggest UK hits… (Picture: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
It might be an American streaming platform, but new research has indicated that Netflix’s biggest and best hits are from this side of the Atlantic.
Whether it’s raunchy period dramas, stalking psychological thrillers, or just good old-fashioned crime, it seems that audiences worldwide can’t get enough of what Britain has to offer on TV.
The streaming giant has made worldwide stars of the likes of Nicola Coughlan, Richard Gadd, and many others, with audiences from all over the world tuning in.
In their first six months on the platform, recent hits like Bridgerton and The Gentlemen – among others – have amassed over 360 million views according to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.
Calling Britain the ‘birthplace of prestige television,’ Sarandos also told the audience at the Royal Television Society conference that Netflix was currently producing over 100 shows here.
Via The Guardian, he said: ‘Good storytelling speaks to our times – take risks, push boundaries, explore the uncomfortable, dare to fail in order to achieve.’
But what are Netflix’s biggest and best British shows?
Bridgerton
Bridgerton is one of Netflix’s biggest hits of the last 10 years (Picture: Liam Daniel/ Netflix/ THA / Avalon)
Starting back in December 2020, Bridgerton quickly became an overnight success for Netflix, with the first season currently the fourth most popular show in Netflix history.
The series follows the members of the Bridgerton family and other residents of London high society as they navigate love, romance, social norms, and other dramas.
While the production company – Shondaland – is owned by American writer and TV producer Shonda Rhimes, Bridgerton is set in Regency era 1800s London and is filmed in the English capital as well.
Bridgerton’s second and third seasons are also in the top 10 most popular Netflix seasons of all time, with the third season more popular than the second.
And critics are largely in agreement, too, with the average series rating currently sitting at 84% with an average score of 7.0 out of 10 (the audience rating is 74% at the time of writing).
Baby Reindeer
Baby Reindeer was one of the biggest breakout Netflix hits of all time (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)
In its first six months after appearing on Netflix, Baby Reindeer was watched by 88 million people, according to figures published by the streaming giant themselves.
The miniseries, adapted from Richard Gadd’s one-man show, follows Richard as Donny Dunn, a fictionalised version of the Scottish actor and writer.
After meeting a woman named Martha (Jessica Gunning), Donny’s life is turned upside down when she develops an intense attachment towards him and begins to stalk him.
Baby Reindeer quickly became a worldwide sensation and was a major hit with critics, with its Rotten Tomatoes score standing proud at 98% with an average score of 8.4 out of 10.
The Gentlemen
The Gentlemen is a spin-off from the 2019 film of the same name (Picture: Kevin Baker/Netflix)
A spin-off from the 2019 film of the same name, The Gentlemen was created by Guy Ritchie for Netflix and broadcast its first season back in March of this year.
After six months of availability, The Gentleman has already drawn in 76 million viewers – the series stars Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, and Vinnie Jones.
Critics were more lukewarm on The Gentlemen than they were Baby Reindeer, but its Rotten Tomatoes score is still an impressive 75% – audiences have given it a rating of 84%.
The series follows Theo’s character Eddie, who inherits a large plot of land and a family estate, only to discover that it’s a massive drugs empire that’s still active.
Renewed for a second season, the eight-part series was filmed around Gloucestershire and Surrey, as well as Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire.
Fool Me Once
Michelle Keegan led the cast of thriller series Fool Me Once (Picture: James Veysey/Shutterstock)
The British thriller series Fool Me Once follows the story of Michelle Keegan’s Maya Stern, who believes her husband Joe (Richard Armitage) to have been murdered.
When she’s given a nanny cam by a friend, however, Maya soon spots her late husband on the footage, sending her spiraling into a double-murder investigation.
The series currently holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was watched by 37.1 million Netflix accounts in its first week after being dropped in one go.
Filmed in and around Manchester, Fool Me Once’s production went everywhere in the region – from Manchester Airport to Alexandra Park in the centre of Oldham.
Heartstopper
Heartstopper is back on Netflix on October 3, 2024 (Picture: Samuel Dore/Netflix)
Back for season three in October, Heartstopper has been one of the biggest Brit hits in Netflix’s history since its first season dropped back in the spring of 2022.
Following the story of the budding romance between Joe Locke’s Charlie Spring and Kit Connor’s Nick Nelson, the series is an adaptation of the graphic novel series by Alice Osman.
Charlie and Nick navigate high school and their teenage years as they both come to terms with their sexuality and their relationship with one another.
Just two days after its release in 2022, it shot into the top 10 British shows of all time on Netflix and shot into the top 10 in 54 other territories, according to research by Variety.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series currently has a 98% approval rating from critics, with audiences also loving the series that also stars Yasmin Finney and Olivia Colman.
Sex Education
A sex clinic run by a kid with virtually no sexual experience? (Picture: Netfix)
Back in 2019, Sex Education was a groundbreaking moment for Netflix, which launched itself confidently into the teen sex genre with the boundary-pushing show.
The series primarily followed Otis Milburn, a sixth form student with virtually no sexual experience, as he starts a sex education clinic for fellow students, along side his friend Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey).
Along the way, the likes of Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa) and Adam Groff (Connor Swindells) became huge characters in their own right, with Ncuti, Connor, and Emma all appearing in 2023 smash hit film Barbie.
Despite an end to the series that some fans deemed disappointing, the series still holds firm on Rotten Tomatoes with an average critic rating of 93% after four seasons.
The first season has amassed over 40 million unique views since it first dropped five years ago, with the show’s active fanbase still spreading the word about events at Moordale School.
One Day
Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod in One Day (Picture: Netflix)
Adapted from the 2009 novel by David Nicholls, One Day was a huge hit on Netflix this year and even briefly saw the return of the pinky ring fashion trend.
Starring Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod, the story follows Dexter and Emma as they meet up on the same day every year for more than a decade.
A classic will they-won’t they romance story, the drama takes some serious twists as it explores relationships, friendship, the passage of time, and the crazy world of 90s TV.
The series currently has a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was the most-watched show globally in its week of release back in February 2024.
Watch all shows above on Netflix.
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