Top 10 most-watched dramas of 2022 revealed – as BBC tops the list

By James Hibbs

Published: Tuesday, 20 December 2022 at 12:00 am

The UK’s most-watched dramas of 2022 have officially been revealed, with the BBC claiming the top spot as well as having six more series in the top 10.

Jamie Dornan’s The Tourist, which aired on BBC One in January, was confirmed to be the most-watched drama of the year when compared to all other broadcasters and SVODs, according to BARB 28 Day 4 Screen Data.

Meanwhile, second and third place were taken by ITV series Trigger Point and The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe respectively, with BBC’s The Responder and Death in Paradise in fourth and fifth.

Sixth to ninth place were also all taken by BBC dramas, with SAS Rogue Heroes, Call the Midwife, Sherwood and Silent Witness filling out the slots, before 10th place was taken by ITV’s Our House.

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Vicky McClure and Adrian Lester in Trigger Point.
HTM Productions for ITV

Charlotte Moore, BBC’s Chief Content Officer, said of the BBC’s success in the top 10: “In a time of so much competition and choice, the sheer scale of BBC drama in 2022 clearly demonstrates how the BBC continues to punch well above its weight.

“In our centenary year, millions have turned to the BBC for our ambitious range of world-class drama from writers at the top of their game. Despite all the millions spent on global platforms, I’m proud of our hit rate and our unrivalled commitment to telling stories from across the UK.”

The top 10 this year has been dominated by new dramas, with only three – Death in Paradise, Call the Midwife and Silent Witness – being returning series.

New thriller series The Tourist aired its first episode on New Year’s Day, and followed a nameless British man who wakes up in the Australian Outback after being run off the road by a truck, with no memory of who he is.

It was officially renewed for a second season in March, with Dornan teasing earlier this month that the second season could actually take the form of a prequel, and be set before the first.