Disney+ head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Carl Holmes noted an 80 percent increase in advertising revenue in the UK and what he described as a "leading" young adult audience share among streaming services in the country.
Speaking at the Enders TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecom) Leaders Live conference in London on Thursday, the CEO of Disney+ EMEA emphasized that in the UK, "our adult audience is definitely younger—more so than on any other streaming platform." Citing BARB data on UK home viewing, he said that "almost 40 percent of viewing time on the Disney+ platform is among 16- to 34-year-olds. This is higher than comparable figures for Netflix, Prime, Paramount+, Apple TV, or even YouTube.".
More from The Hollywood Reporter
-
Quentin Tarantino says post-pandemic films are full of "flaws, poor casting, or just downright stupidity.".
-
Sharon Stone has spoken about the physical attack she suffered from behind: 'I don't know how I got there.'.
-
Odessa Atsion wants to do everything
The chart he showed showed Disney+ at 39 percent, Netflix at 32 percent, Prime at 27 percent, Paramount+ at 23 percent, and Apple TV at 20 percent.
The executive emphasized: «We know and understand the young audience well, who are incredibly connected to the franchises and content that underpin Disney+.».
Noting "significant growth in customers, engagement, and advertising," Holmes also stated at the conference: "Today, we are in strong growth mode across the board: our EMEA customer base is growing rapidly, up more than 25 percent since the beginning of 2025. Over the same period, these customers have also become more engaged with content, with average views per retail subscriber growing by more than 10 percent." The ad-based pricing plan, which launched in the UK at the end of 2023, has also been a growth driver. "Our advertising business is growing rapidly, with revenue in the UK alone growing 80 percent year-on-year," Holmes said.
Disney+ launched ad-supported paid subscriptions in 15 European countries starting November 2023. «We’ve already got over 1,000 brands on board,» the executive shared. «The excitement around our shows creates great opportunities for collaboration with brands. For example, we’ve teamed up with Waitrose to launch a line of products inspired by the series.” «Rivals» and the 1980s. You can treat yourself to a bag of Steak Diana chips, rhubarb-and-custard ice cream, or, a little later, a spicy pineapple daiquiri!«
Overall, things are moving in the right direction. "It's been six years since Disney+ debuted in Europe, and I'm pleased with the direction and pace we're setting—a result of the creativity and hard work of our teams across the region," the executive concluded.
He also outlined his plans to "continue to drive growth in such a competitive market," outlining three priority areas.
«"First and foremost, it's about delivering the best content to customers," Holmes said. "Powerful, intergenerational stories that create deep emotional connections. That's what Disney is all about.".
It all starts with the movies. «No other streaming service can match the quality and depth of our film content,» the executive asserted, noting that Disney has been the leading studio in EMEA distribution for nine of the last ten years, «and our films appear on Disney+ immediately after their theatrical releases.» Among the new releases coming to Disney+ this year are films such as «Zootopia 2» , «Avatar: Fire and Ash» , «Toy Story 5» , «"The Mandalorian" and "Grogu"» , and also «The Devil Wears Prada 2 »" Holmes used this fact to emphasize "the importance of releasing our films in theaters because box office success has an impact that extends far beyond the theatrical window.".
Increasing the number of original local projects in addition to Disney+'s global hits has also been a key focus of late. "We're starting to increase the number of original local projects," Holmes said on Thursday. "Angela Jane joined us late last year as Head of Content for Disney+ in EMEA, and she's been actively working to increase the number of original local projects approved for airing in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, and Turkey, as well as the UK. From now on, Disney+ customers will begin to see more shows from their home markets, both feature and documentary.".
As an example, he said: «When you finish watching the last episode of the current season, «"Rivals", which will be released tomorrow, Monday, We have another brand new original series for you: the award-winning series «Alice and Steve» from the creators «"Little deer ».
The second strategy for maintaining growth is Disney's focus on "a lifetime of great stories," Holmes said. "I'm sure many of you remember the first time you saw a Disney, Pixar, Marvel, or Star Wars in the cinema. Our position is unique, and it's been earned over a century of building our brands. We're updating our marketing to strengthen that connection and demonstrate that Disney+ represents a lifetime of great storytelling.".
The third and final growth priority is to «be the partner of choice in the industry,» including through content partnerships with broadcasters in a growing number of markets, as well as strong relationships with distributors and advertisers, he emphasized.
«We offer our free-to-air partners the opportunity to expand the reach of their content,» Holmes said. «They can bring their stories to our younger audiences, while Disney+ customers can discover the most important local events.» He added, «Every deal is unique. We are flexible and work with broadcasters in a way that benefits both parties. As we learn what works best, our latest deals allow major shows to air on Disney+ immediately after their free-to-air debut. But one thing remains constant—we guarantee our broadcast partners strong brand recognition.».
Earlier, BBC Editor-in-Chief Rhodri Talfan Davies and Sky CEO Dana Strong spoke at the conference organised by Enders.
The Best of The Hollywood Reporter
-
Hollywood's Most Famous Deaths of 2025
-
Harvey Weinstein's victim, identified in the case as "Jane Doe 1," has revealed her identity: "I'm tired of hiding.".
-
Awards Chatter Podcast: 'Sopranos' Creator David Chase Finally Reveals What Happened to Tony (Exclusive)
Subscribe to the THR newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.