Further detail: September 2025 TV market detail page | TV Market Update hub.
September 2025: final editorial review
- The Great British Bake Off – Channel 4 – 16.0m
- Strictly Come Dancing – BBC – 15.7m
- I Fought the Law – ITV – 10.4m
- Blue Lights – BBC – 10.1m
- Have I Got News for You – BBC – 9.8m
- The Great British Sewing Bee – BBC – 9.7m
- Coldwater – ITV – 9.2m
- The Guest – BBC – 9.1m
- Antiques Roadshow – BBC – 9.0m
- Gogglebox – Channel 4 – 8.2m
September was the commercial reset. Channel 4’s Bake Off was the standout buyable programme of the month, beating almost everything for scale and giving advertisers a premium, brand-safe, talked-about environment. ITV added drama reach through I Fought the Law and Coldwater, while Gogglebox gave Channel 4 another engaged commercial context.
Campaign activity moved into autumn: retail, finance, telecoms, entertainment, grocery and early Q4 planning. Politically, party conference season and fiscal pressure sharpened news attention. After the summer, routines returned and TV once again became easier to plan around.
The buying read: September was the point where prices started to harden. Bake Off deserved a premium for the right brands, but broader commercial TV and BVOD were needed to stop plans becoming too narrow and expensive.
September 2025 was a month for looking at TV as a buying market, not just a viewing habit. The useful question for advertisers was where commercial attention could still be bought with confidence, and where demand was likely to push pricing up.
Commercial programming and viewing
September brought the market back to routine: stronger schedules, returning audiences and the start of the autumn commercial build. ITV entertainment, Sky Sports football, Channel 4 factual and lifestyle, Channel 5 factual and UKTV gave advertisers reliable contexts for reach and frequency.
Advertiser and category movement
Retail, finance, telecoms, automotive, entertainment, travel and grocery activity increased as brands moved towards Q4. Agencies were sharpening budgets and asking whether TV should be used for immediate sales activation, brand rebuilding, or both.
Broadcaster, agency and platform news
The broadcaster video conversation became more practical. Buyers wanted simpler access, but also transparency on where ads ran, how often people saw them and how broadcaster streaming was measured against linear.
Cost of TV and buying conditions
September is where prices usually start to harden. The best-value briefs were those with flexibility by channel, daypart and copy length. Brands that waited too long risked being pushed into less efficient inventory as Q4 demand gathered pace.
Media buying view
- Book autumn weight early where premium context matters.
- Use broader commercial TV to protect CPTs while demand rises.
- Keep measurement consistent across linear, BVOD and CTV.