BBC Three is a free-to-air television channel that targets a younger audience, principally viewers aged 16–34, with bold, innovative programming spanning comedy, drama, documentaries and reality formats. The channel originally launched in 2003, moved to an online-only model in 2016, and then returned to linear TV in February 2022, sharing broadcast time with CBBC and focusing on fresh voices and diverse storytelling. Its remit is to offer risk-taking content that reflects modern life and youth culture while nurturing new talent and championing underrepresented perspectives.

One of its most talked-about shows is RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and its international spin-off RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs. the World, which brings drag performers from around the globe to compete in weekly creative challenges. Other popular series include A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, a gripping teen mystery based on the bestselling novels, Red Rose, a chilling British horror drama, and Such Brave Girls, a comedy-drama exploring friendship and ambition.

In addition to returning hits, BBC Three also debuts fresh formats like the documentary-style Love in the Flesh, examining modern dating, and Freeze: Skating on the Edge, a high-stakes figure-skating docu-series for younger audiences.

The channel’s on-screen identity is shaped by a range of hosts and presenters who connect directly with its audience. A standout is RuPaul, the iconic drag performer and host of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK on BBC Three, whose charisma and creative leadership have helped define the franchise’s success in the UK.

Other presenters closely associated with current BBC Three include Kate Butch and Melinda Verga, both featured as queens and commentators on Drag Race; Zara McDermott, who fronts Love in the Flesh and brings a relatable voice to real-world dating explorations; and Krept & Konan, who lead music-related series and cultural documentaries on the channel. These hosts, alongside emerging voices from the channel’s documentaries and reality formats, help keep BBC Three’s tone fresh, authentic and relevant to its demographic.