Sexuality
Figure 1: Off-screen roles
Figure 2: On-screen roles
Figure 3: Genre off and on-screen roles
Figure 4: Senior roles off-screen
Figure 5: Senior role off-screen
Figure 6: Non-senior roles on-screen
Figure 7: Scripted and non-scripted roles on-screen
Figure 8: Scripted roles off-screen
Figure 9: Non-scripted roles on-screen
Figure 10: Broadcasters off and on-screen
Overall, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) representation remains very strong compared to the national population estimates (Annual Population Survey 3.8%). The proportion of contributions made by people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual also continues to increase, especially off-screen.
Genres
LGB+ representation is strong across all genres. An outlier is on-screen representation on Current Affairs programmes where lesbian women, gay men or bisexual people made relatively few (under 6%) contributions (Figure 3).
Genres
LGB+ representation is particularly strong both on and off-screen on Drama and Entertainment programmes. In both genres, around one fifth of contributions come from people who are lesbian women, gay men or bisexual people.
LGB+ representation remains strong across all genres. Representation is lower on Current Affairs programmes (fewer than 6% of on-screen contributions), but LGB+ representation is still strong compared to population statistics (3.8%).
Roles
Off-screen roles
In senior roles, gay men are much more highly represented than the other LGB+ groups. Gay men made just over 11% of senior role contributions in 2025. Lesbian women and bisexual people each made around 2.5% of contributions.
Across senior roles, LGB+ representation is particularly strong in the roles of Producer Director and Commissioning Editor. Collectively, lesbian women, gay men and bisexual people make around one quarter of all contributions in these roles.
People who are LGB+ are making far fewer contributions in Head of Production roles (6%).
Bisexual people are now the second most prominent group (after heterosexuals) in non-senior roles, making almost 9% of contributions in 2025. Since 2021, the proportion of contributions made in non-senior roles by bisexual people has more than doubled.
On-screen roles
On-screen, LGB+ representation is strong across both scripted (19%) and non-scripted (16%) roles, with a significant increase (2.5 percentage points) in scripted roles between 2024 and 2025.
Collectively, lesbian women, gay men and bisexual people are better represented in Supporting rather than Lead Actor roles. Although highly represented in both roles, the proportion of LGB+ actors in leading roles has decreased slightly from just over 13% in 2022 to below 12% in 2025.
LGB+ representation is higher in Main Contributor (20%) and Contributor (14%) roles than in Presenter (13%) roles. In 2025, one fifth of all Main Contributor appearances were by someone who identifies as LGB+.
Broadcasters
Off-screen, LGB+ representation is particularly strong on programmes made by BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Paramount. For all four broadcasters, around one fifth of contributions are from people who identify as LGB+. At Sky and UKTV, LGB+ representation is lower (15%), but still strong.
On-screen, LGB+ representation is highest on BBC and ITV programmes (both 19%) and lowest on Paramount and UKTV programmes (both 11%).