The BBC Proms has reported record audiences in 2026, after an eight-week season of 86 concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall concluded on Saturday 12th September.
More than 8.3 million streams were recorded across the BBC’s digital platforms, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, while TV broadcasts reached a further 10.2 million viewers.
Live attendance at the festival also remained strong, with around 300,000 tickets sold for performances at the Royal Albert Hall and venues around the UK. Almost two-thirds of the concerts at the Royal Albert Hall sold out, while more than 72,000 £8 Promming tickets were sold, a 5% increase on 2025.
The figures also show that efforts to attract younger and new audiences are making headway: almost half of audiences at the Royal Albert Hall were new bookers, while 37% were under 40 and 20% under 20. The BBC also reported 65.8 million views across BBC social media platforms.
Proms events outside of London, more frequently held in recent years, have reportedly had a positive impact on local listening. BBC Proms events in Gateshead created a 24% increase in BBC Radio 3 listening on BBC Sounds in Sunderland. Proms events in Bristol and Mold, North Wales, also coincided with increases in local listening.
Sam Jackson, Controller of BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, said the figures demonstrated the appeal of live music across different platforms, highlighting the number of first-time and younger attendees. He also looks ahead to 2027, which marks the centenary of the BBC’s organisation of the festival.
