BBC iPlayer has gone from strength to strength over the course of 2017 after recording a 11% increase in audiences from 2016 with some 272m streaming requests now being registered every month.

Popular content such as Blue Planet 2 helped draw in viewers with audiences peaking during December which became the best performing month on record for the format with no less than 327 streaming requests – vindicating moves to release a range of box sets and classic programming over the Christmas period.

Lauding progress made iPlayer head Dan Taylor-Watt said: “In 2018, we’ll be looking to build on these successes and continue to make BBC iPlayer a must-visit destination in its own right.”

Blue Planet 2 episode 1 drew 4,768,000 streaming requests making it the most popular iPlayer show, seeing off the first episode of historical drama Taboo which drew 4,464,000 viewers and the debut of Dr Foster season 2 which notched up 3,677,000 requests.

The BBC is facing stiff competition from the likes of Netflix and Amazon in pursuit of footloose internet viewers, prompting it to innovate by looking at novel voice sign-in technology with Microsoft.