BBC website coverage of Tokyo Olympics is accessed a record 104 million times  

BBC website coverage of Tokyo Olympics is accessed a record 104 million times but TV viewing figures drop compared to previous Games after most live streams moved to Discovery… with 100m finals and Max Whitlock’s gold among most watched events

• 104million requests were made for the BBC’s online coverage of Tokyo Olympics
• This is a new BBC record that illustrates how viewing habits have changed
• But TV viewing figures of 36.4m were down on the previous three Olympics
• Eight-hour time difference saw most events in Tokyo take place overnight in UK
• And Discovery’s purchase of broadcasting rights saw BBC live feeds slashed
• Both 100m finals and Max Whitlock’s gold were among most-watched events 
• Find out the latest Tokyo Olympic news including schedule, medal table and results right here

By Adam Shergold for MailOnline

Published: 14:30 BST, 9 August 2021 | Updated: 14:32 BST, 9 August 2021

The BBC’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics was accessed over 100 million times online despite fewer streams being available than during previous Games.

In a sign of how viewing habits have shifted from television coverage to online and on demand, a record-breaking 104m requests were made to watch the action online.

But just 36.4m tuned in to watch the BBC’s television coverage of Tokyo 2020, less than during the Beijing, London and Rio Olympics.

The BBC’s online coverage of the Tokyo Olympics has broken previous records for the event with 104 million logging on to watch or catch up on the Games 

British gymnast Max Whitlock’s gold medal-winning performance on the pommel horse was one of the BBC’s most-watched events in Tokyo 

The BBC’s live offering from the Tokyo Games was greatly reduced compared to the last two editions after American TV giant Discovery secured pan-European broadcasting rights to every Olympic event.

It meant the vast majority of live Olympic action was accessible only through the Eurosport channels or on the £6.99-a-month Discovery+ streaming service with the BBC permitted only two feeds.

BBC One nonetheless had more hours of coverage than ever before with a red button stream offering an alternative event.

The 36.4m that tuned in to the BBC’s TV coverage was less than the 37.5m in 2008, while a total of 51.9m watched at least 15 minutes of the 2012 London Olympics, equating to 90 per cent of the UK population.

The BBC recorded an audience of 45.24m for the 2016 Rio Games, a record for an overseas Olympics.

The men’s 100 metres final, won by Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs, was the most watched event with 5 million tuning in

Swimmers Matt Richards and Tom Dean are interviewed by Clare Balding in the BBC studio

Five years ago, 68.3m devices accessed their online coverage but that has now exploded to over 100m during Tokyo 2020 as viewing habits move with new technology.

The eight-hour time difference between the UK and Japan meant much of the live action was overnight, also helping to explain the demand for catch-up coverage.  

The men’s 100m final, won by the Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs, was the most watched event on the BBC with 5m viewers watching BBC One. 4.5m watched the women’s 100m final on the middle Saturday of the Games.

Gymnast Max Whitlock’s gold medal-winning performance in the men’s pommel horse final was viewed by 3.6m people and 3.4m saw Bradley Sinden take silver in the 68kg taekwondo final.

Bradley Sinden narrowly missed out on gold in his taekwondo final with 3.4m watching on

The most requested moment on the BBC website was Lauren Williams in the final of the 67kg taekwondo division, while 2.4m wanted to see horse rider Charlotte Dujardin win her fifth Olympic medal in the team dressage final. 

The viewing figures were released as the remaining Team GB athletes returned home from Tokyo to a hero’s welcome at Heathrow Airport in London.

Britain finished fourth in the final medal table with 22 golds, 21 silvers and 22 bronzes for a total of 65, behind only the United States, China and Japan.

It is the second-highest return for Britain in a post-war Olympics with the final tally only two behind the haul from Rio 2016.

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