From Sambre to Bardot: the most viewed French series abroad in 2024

In 2024, France was the third producer of television programs in the world.

It's not just Monte Cristo which caused a sensation in the United States! Other French productions have managed to find a place for themselves, and all over the world, throughout the year 2024. Television productions in particular. Last year, France was the world's third largest producer of television programs, with a market share of 7.3%, behind the United States (with 65.9%) and the United Kingdom (with 9.9%). ).

It is even the world's leading exporter of non-English content, according to a study published Monday ahead of the Rendez-vous Unifrance in Paris.

In 2024, 73% of first broadcasts of foreign works on international television channels came from France!

A crazy figure carried by Europe, since the Czech Republic and Spain are the leading buyers ahead of Poland, Italy and Germany. Together, these countries account for 40% of all sales of French programs abroad.

In total, nearly 300 French productions were scheduled on free-to-air prime time channels in 2024, including detective series.

Master Crimesthe TF1 series with Muriel Robin, attracted an average of 1.5 million viewers during prime time during its broadcast on Rai 1 in Italy, representing an audience share of 11%, while the police thriller Sambre by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade was a hit when it was broadcast outside our borders, particularly in the United Kingdom. The limited series adapted from a true story scored big on BBC Four at the end of the year, rare audiences for a non-English language series.

The American market was marked by the remake of HPI with High Potential. But US TV also broadcast French series like bardotthe France Télé biopic on BB. French history and culture are sure values ​​for export across the Atlantic, and the Canal + series, Marie Antoinetteabout the Queen of France, also enjoyed some success in the United States (on the public channel PBS).