A report, led by researchers at King’s College London, found that ‘humour’ was the word most associated with UK television shows and films when 16–34-year-olds in Denmark, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands were asked to describe them in a few words. In all four countries, interviewees described British humour with the same words: ‘unique,’ ‘ironic,’ ‘eccentric,’ ‘black,’ ‘subtle,’ ‘irreverent’ and ‘intelligent’.

The report also found the UK’s sense of humour was seen as better than that of America, even though US content was the most watched across all four countries.

“There was a broader consensus across countries that British humour is preferable to American humour. Many described American humour as more ‘basic’ and ‘simplistic’ ‘less subtle,’ and less ‘intelligent’ than British humour,” the report authors noted.

The research also revealed how humour-driven social media posts are now key for spreading the word and aiding discovery of British shows. This is especially true of 16-19-year-olds, who are drawn to niche shows like Northern Ireland sitcom Derry Girls, and mockumentary Cunk on Earth by user-created memes that create a buzz.

The research Screen Encounters with Britain was led by Professor Jeanette Steemers, of the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King’s, and Professor Andrea Esser, Professor Emerita of King’s. It was also supported by Dr Matthew Hilborn, formerly at King’s and now at University College Dublin, and Dr Alessandro D’Arma from the University of Westminster.

Esser said young Europeans enjoy a wide range from comedy dramas such as Sex Education (pictured), Fleabag, Skins, and After Life, sitcoms like Derry Girls, and mockumentaries such as Cunk on Earth, as well as stand-up and classics like Monty Python and Mr Bean. “The idea that humour doesn’t travel well due to cultural differences doesn’t hold true for many young audiences,” she said. “Those proficient in English especially appreciate UK screen content for its humour. Young viewers, spurred on by social media, crave humour and increasingly watch with the original English-language soundtrack to ‘get the joke’.”

In two countries, Netherlands and Denmark, British humour came out as the top reason (70 per cent and 68 per cent respectively) for watching UK shows and films. In Germany it came second (64 per cent) as a reason for watching UK content. In Italy, by contrast, the main reason for watching UK shows was learning English.

The report found that nearly half of survey respondents felt they could relate to themes and characters in UK content. However, interviews revealed that these perceived values are almost entirely driven by a small number of scripted shows available on streaming services, which are seen as more youth-oriented and different to what is offered on domestic platforms.

The research also found that many young people (58 per cent in Germany and 59 per cent in Italy) tuned into UK-made content because they enjoyed the settings, landscapes and people.

Steemers said the report showed ‘classics’ such as Sherlock, Harry Potter and Notting Hill, as well as youth-oriented series on streaming platforms increase the desire to visit the UK, including specific locations and film settings.

“There is clear evidence that British screen content furthers interest in Britain and its people and positively influences attitudes towards it,” she added. “The power of screen content lies in how pictures are interpreted. Young people know that what they are watching is ‘not real’, but subconsciously they process these pictures as representations of British reality.”

The BBC’s Sherlock was the most frequently mentioned and remembered British TV show. Sex Education, The Crown, Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who followed in the top five. The study also found some confusions around what was British and what was American. Bridgerton was frequently identified as British because of its UK settings and cast even though it is classified as a US production. The Office was well-known, but interviews revealed that it was mostly the US version that people had seen.

In all four countries, the top 20 most-remembered films were dominated by older film franchises like Harry Potter and James Bond, as well as classic romantic comedies like Notting Hill and Love Actually.