Doctor Who helps BBC Worldwide achieve record profits

A number of BBC shows, including Doctor Who, have helped BBC Wordlwide achieve record profits, it has been revealed.

An annual review of the BBC's commercial arm published today, revealed that profits were up 36.5% year-on-year to £145.2m. Overall sales revenue was up 7% year-on-year to £1.074bn.

Doctor Who has now been distributed to over 50 countries worldwide.

Other BBC 'brands' including Top Gear, Life, Planet Earth and Being Erica have also contributed to the international success.

BBC Worldwide chief executive John Smith commented: "BBC Worldwide continues to give consumers around the world more and more content from the BBC and other British production companies. This allows us to reinvest in more great content and return more cash to our parent organisation, the BBC."

2|Entertain, the company which produces the Doctor Who DVD range, saw a 2.1% rise in revenue to £230m, delivering profits of £40.3m.

BBC Magazines, which produces a range of titles including the weekly magazine 'Doctor Who Adventures', saw a 1.3% fall in revenue to £168.3m. However, profits were actually up at the division by 13.6% to £18.4m due to a "significant" cost-cutting programme.

BBC director general Mark Thompson added: "BBC Worldwide continues to contribute significantly to the BBC through its overall returns and dividend and what is clear from this outstanding year of success is that the global appetite for outstanding British content is greater than ever before."

(Source: Digital Spy)