“My house is quiet. My wife died two years ago. Sometimes I put the TV on just to make a noise. The dog enjoys it.”
This poignant quote from a 65-year-old man captures something profound about television’s role in British life – and highlights a massive audience that broadcasters are increasingly ignoring.
Across Freeview, we’re witnessing a quiet revolution. Channels are pivoting towards classic content, crime dramas are getting prime slots, and nostalgia programming is booming.
The reason? No, not just because it’s cheap to buy the rights to older content. Britain’s 22 million over-55s – the most loyal TV viewers in the country – feel completely left behind by modern broadcasting.
New research from Great! channels reveals the scale of this disconnect. More than a quarter of over-55s feel forgotten by today’s TV, despite watching nearly four hours daily.
While broadcasters chase younger demographics with reality shows and streaming-first strategies, their most dedicated audience is crying out for something different.
The findings help explain why we’re seeing such changes across the TV landscape – and why channels that cater to older viewers are thriving while others struggle.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The statistics are pretty damning. According to Great!’s newly published research, over-55s make up roughly a third of the UK population, yet only 5% of programming on the five main terrestrial channels last week consisted of classic shows.
Half of this demographic feel today’s TV schedules prioritise younger audiences, with an emphasis on reality formats over the shows they grew up loving.
It’s not just about nostalgia – it’s about representation. Just 15% of over-55s feel accurately and positively represented by what they see on screen, with many saying they rarely see people like themselves in advertising either.
“Britain’s most loyal TV viewers are ‘not young’, and so they’re being routinely ignored by modern-day broadcasters,” says Kate Gartland, marketing director for Great!, “It shouldn’t be all Love Island, First Dates and prioritising Gen Z – older audiences are important, and they should be catered for.”
Great!’s Response to the Data
Great! channels have been dealing with this challenge in real time.
If you’ve got Freeview, you’ll have noticed some changes last week – Great! Mystery got promoted to the much better Channel 50 slot, while Great! Movies was relegated to Channel 61, which needs both an aerial and broadband connection to work.
It’s quite a statement about what they think people actually want to watch. Crime dramas over films, apparently.
The Great! Channels started life as Sony Movies back in 2014, and became part of the Great! family in 2021 when Narrative Capital bought the collection, and have had somewhat of a roller coaster ride since.
Great! Real lasted just five months before getting axed, and last year all the Great! channels mysteriously disappeared from Freesat without warning.
This year, Great! commissioned research to understand their audience properly, along with a channel rebranding this month.
Crime Pays (In Viewing Figures)
According to the research, two-thirds of all Brits enjoy nostalgia TV, but the biggest fans are men aged 55-64, with 76% saying they love rewatching programmes from the past.
Crime shows are particularly popular – which makes Great! Mystery’s promotion to the easier-to-access terrestrial slot make more sense.
The appeal isn’t just about familiar faces or storylines. For many viewers, classic TV provides something modern programming doesn’t: companionship.
40% of all audiences say TV keeps them company, rising to nearly half of women aged 75+. When you consider how many people live alone, television serves as more than entertainment.
“I know it word for word… it’s comforting,” one 65-year-old male viewer told researchers about his favourite classic show.
Part of a Bigger Trend
Great!’s pivot reflects something we’ve been seeing across Freeview and beyond. Talking Pictures TV has built a remarkable following with around 6 million weekly viewers, proving there’s serious appetite for vintage content.
Rewind TV expanded from Sky to Freeview just last year, joining the likes of That’s TV in bringing classic programming to terrestrial audiences.
Even in the streaming world, we’re seeing this trend. Talking Pictures TV recently launched dedicated apps for Fire TV and other platforms, while keeping their core appeal: free, accessible content that doesn’t require endless logins or overwhelm you with choice.
And then there’s Freely, which aims to bring streaming Freeview channels to the masses – and the planned “simple” Freely box from the BBC will hopefully make it super simple to watch those channels.
Great!’s research helps explain why this approach works. Nearly two-thirds of 65-74 year olds watch broadcast TV daily, compared to just 10% using paid streaming services like Netflix.
They value the “free and login-free” nature of traditional TV, with many finding password management impossible and resenting the pressure to be online for everything.
It’s Not About Being Anti-Tech
Here’s where the research gets interesting – and challenges some lazy assumptions.
81% of men and 69% of women aged 65-74 feel confident with most technology, while 61% of men and 51% of women aged 75+ say technology has made their life better. A third of over-75s even use video calls to stay in touch with family.
These aren’t technophobic traditionalists who don’t “get” modern media. They’re informed consumers who’ve been priced out or overwhelmed by the current landscape.
As Great! Christmas returns to Freeview Channel 52 this week for its annual four-month takeover (yes, it’s September and they’re already doing Christmas – no apologies), the broader question remains: will more broadcasters take notice?
With viewing figures and loyalty on their side, Britain’s forgotten television audience might finally be getting the recognition they deserve. And frankly, it’s about time.
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Well, I haven’t read all the comments, but hardly any address the point.
I don’t “do” social media but it seems that forums etc attract wildly opinionated extremists and bigots to vent their views rather than discuss calmly the issues. I’m 93 and have my own opinions about TV but I think I’ll keep them to myself.
…research from Great who are not on Freesat…
How did this topic get hijacked by oddball extremes? What anyone chooses to watch is their business alone. The fact is, technology is changing constantly. It’s also a fact that traditional telephones using copper cabling are to be obsolete in the none too distant future. I, at 64 years young, am personally quite comfortable with most tech, but it has to be reliable and affordable for all! That simply isn’t the case at present, so these matters must be addressed before services are axed.
My tastes in broadcast tv are in a minority, mainly being news, documentaries, and natural history. I have other media systems for my own peculiar tastes in entertainment beyond the factual. I have little interest in most mainstream content, but wouldn’t call anybody out over their personal tastes. Live and let live, eh?
Although I am ok using technology, my parents are not. They just want to turn the tv on and watch it. They don’t want the hassle, and the extra expense, of having to subscribe to a broadband service just to watch tv.
I also prefer to watch tv that way, I don’t want to use the internet for everything.
I hope they re-think turning off traditional broadcast tv, and keep it as it is.
There is no chance of a re-think. The internet is inevitable. All traditional systems, or “old” systems, will be switched off at some point.
Did you know that the traditional telephone system, or “old” telephone system, will also be switched off in favour of the internet? And that is planned for quite soon.
The only other broadcasting system that might be used is “5G Broadcast”, which could be similar to Freeview, and is based on mobile phone networks.
Quite right too!
Enjoy free speech while it is still here – I think?
I also avoid programs using similar criteria.
Why raise the racist card, you’re the only one that has brought it up, the usual “I am offended by everyone that does not agree with me” – Just grow up and get a life.
I might just add I also avoid reality TV featuring females with pouting Botox lips that you would not take home to meet your mother! Does that deserve another label from you or is that just my choice.
So the majority being over 70% of people actually don’t feel forgotten?
That is actually more impressive then and that if anything it just means the ones that do feel forgotten probably just want things the way they were in the past and want to recapture the nostalgia they once had. It’s also very hard to please those kinds of niche tastes.
I’m 4 (nearly 3) years off this age bracket and I’m honestly worried about my fellow older Gen Xers (and beyond)… Whilst I too have a dislike for reality TV, I worry if we lose our curiosity for at least trying new content out we risk becoming the very “sticks in the mud” we riled against in our youth. Whilst I do like a bit of Marple or Poirot every now and then it’s really important to engage with modern storytelling lest we end up culturally isolated and find it harder to relate to and understand the world around us. Of course, everyone has their own tastes and that’s perfectly fine, I’m not judging, but there are plenty of dramas and other shows that if you give them a chance are really quite good, plus with the variety of shows on the streamers, if you give them a chance you will find something. On the other hand, if it’s just bigotry causing you discomfort with modern TV/life in Britain, I guess you’re just gonna be unhappy but maybe don’t bring everyone else down to your level. Sorry not sorry.
It’s true, although, it doesnt indicate detail on the research by Great.
I have written to the suits at the BBC about this on many occasions, but have given up. They do not listen, but are following popularist themes, along with others, on linear TV. Why? Their own research indicates younger viewers watch less, yet bbc brought back bbc3, and very frequently run bbc3 content on bbc1.
Tptv was a hit, and continues to lead, imho.
“More than a quarter of over-55s feel forgotten by today’s TV,” This is hardly an endorsement; it suggests almost three quarters of the age-group do not feel forgotten!
Way O way is there so much background music in a lot of programs
Especially talking programs when there is no reason for it
It’s very of putting and it’s getting worse
I’m over 55 – 22 years over actually – and here’s my system for not watching a programme:
1. If it’s got a shiny floor, it’s out.
2. If it’s got overtly gay presenters, it’s out.
3. If it’s got modern day comedians, it’s out.
4. If it features Barrymore, Keilty or Brand, it’s out.
There are a few others but the above are the main ones I avoid.
Whilst you have the chutzpah to be homophobic in your comment, you avoided racism. Are you not confident enough in your bigoted views to be racist online? I mean, you could have picked on immigrants and Trans people as well, so why not add them to your exclusion list for your viewing… wouldn’t want to happen across anyone who isn’t straight and white when turning on the telly now would you.
I get it, you don’t want your world view challanged and I already know your reply, you just don’t like “gay humor” (whatever the hell that is)… If you’re gonna throw around veiled insults, why not at least have the confidence to use your real name, that’s the sign of a REAL man. Not hiding behind a username. Meshuggah.
You can always rely on an old Trot to come out and accuse somebody because they HAVEN’T said something or singled out a certain group. Let’s remember, in your ideal world you don’t have people who hold different views to you because they simply disappear overnight.
I’ll keep my views, thank you. I don’t need some crusty old Commie to make a comment – I know there are millions behind me. Now I’ll nip out and raise a few more England flags and paint a couple of mini roundabouts.
The joy of free speech is folks can call you out, that’s what I did. As, whilst you may not like it calling out, not wanting to see a certain minority on TV is the very deffinition of bigotry. I mean, we could unpack why you’re so bothered by gay people on your TV but that’s best left to a psychiatrist.
As for the “raise the flags” thing. You do realise that most minorities are fiercly patriotic as this country has brought in laws specifically to protect us from harm. That also means to us, the flags represent things like tolerance, love, acceptance, equality, safety. Not hatred or bigotry, they aren’t scary things, they represent our communities too. So, all you’re doing is costing already cash strapped councils money to take down flags hoisted on lamposts or having to re-paint illegaly painted mini-roundabouts. Although on that one, props for getting them to fix a lot of those mini-roundabouts you can barely see as the white paint had worn off.