According to figures compiled by FutureSource Consulting, UK consumers' love affair with the TV continues. Spend on subscription digital television hit £4.6 billion in 2009 (6.4% growth on 2008).

In total UK consumers spent £19.7bn on buying "media products and services" in 2009, with pay digital TV accounting for 23% of the total market.

The key beneficiaries of this spend on pay digital TV were Sky and Virgin Media. Sky has over 9.5 million digital TV subscribers and Virgin Media's total broadband, home phone and digital TV customer base now stands 4.77m. BT Vision is the third largest pay digital TV provider with approximately 500,000 digital TV subscribers.

The growth in pay digital TV in the UK has been driven by four key things. First, the huge breadth of choice available via pay-TV including premium sports and movies. Second the growth of PVRs (personal video recorders) which allow digital TV viewers to pause and record live TV. Third, HDTV (high definition TV) which is the fastest growing pay digital TV sector at present. And lastly on-demand digital TV, which is proving extremely popular particularly with Virgin Media customers.

And digital TV analysts believe that 3D TV will be the next key driver of interest in the pay digital TV category.

If you would like help to compare pay digital TV deals from all the top UK digital TV providers, why not call our impartial digital TV experts on 0800 1 388 388.