The BBC will create dedicated content for YouTube across multiple genres as part of a new partnership between the UK public service broadcaster (PSB) and the video platform.
Sport will be one of the content verticals covered by the deal, with the Winter Olympics the first major event to be featured.
The BBC plans to offer more than 450 hours of live coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Games next month and will have a comprehensive digital offering.
Other planned initiatives include dedicated YouTube channels targeting children and younger audiences. The BBC will also be able to distribute the content made for YouTube on its iPlayer and Sounds platforms. Outside the UK, this content will be accompanied by adverts, generating additional revenues for the corporation, easing its financial situation.
The BBC previously has used YouTube to promote its content through clips and trailers of its own shows. Its main account has more than 15 million subscribers to date, while the BBC Sport YouTube channel currently has 906,000 subscribers. The BBC Sport YouTube channel predominantly offers footage from the corporation’s sports podcasts and shows, as well as highlights from tournaments it owns the rights to.
However, the formal tie-up now signals the corporation’s intention to further attract younger audiences. It has noted that watch time of its content on YouTube nearly doubled year-on-year (YoY), with 15 billion annual views of BBC Studio content accumulated.
It also comes as more Brits turn to YouTube, with the UK ratings agency Barb noting that more people watched content on the video platform last year (52 million) than the BBC’s combined channels (51 million) for the first time.
“It’s essential that everyone gets value from the BBC, and this groundbreaking partnership will help us connect with audiences in new ways,” said Tim Davie, director general of the BBC.
“We’re building from a strong start and this takes us to the next level, with bold homegrown content in formats audiences want on YouTube and an unprecedented training programme to upskill the next generation of YouTube creators from across the UK. Importantly, this partnership also allows new audiences different routes into BBC services like BBC iPlayer and Sounds.”
“We are delighted to partner with the BBC to redefine the boundaries of digital storytelling,” added Pedro Pina, vice president of EMEA for YouTube. “This partnership translates the BBC’s world-class content for a digital-first audience, ensuring its cultural impact reaches a younger, more global audience.
“Beyond the content, our first-of-its-kind training programme represents a deep investment in the UK’s creative pipeline designed to empower the next generation of British talent to lead the global creator economy. In doing so, we are not just telling the stories of today; we are building the stage for the storytellers of tomorrow.”
Across the channel, France Télévisions has announced it will launch a new digital sports channel ahead of the Winter Olympics, which will offer around 2,000 hours of live sports coverage and will include interactive features inspired by the Twitch livestreaming platform.
SportsPro says…
Though a broadcasting giant in the UK, the BBC is keen to ensure it continues to attract younger audiences who will keep watching its content for years to come. By partnering with YouTube, it can now be freed up to create dedicated content with innovative formats to target more digitally-savvy viewers who spend more time on the video platform.
Given its popularity, YouTube has now become an important element in a rightsholder’s content mix. It enables broadcasters to put sports content in front of audiences that are bypassing traditional television, as well as helping to get its content out to a wider audience.
For the BBC, it signals a change in its approach to YouTube – its channels on the platform are no longer just a funnel for content on its own platforms, but now stands as its own content vertical. For rights holders, a partnership with the BBC just became that much more dynamic.
