Britain in 2012 held on to its position as the world's second biggest exporter of television programmes after the US on the back of hit dramas such as Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife, a report said on Thursday.

Talent shows such as the Dutch-originated The Voice, meanwhile, illustrated the continued huge popularity of reality television, according to the Television Year in the World report by audience researcher company Eurodata TV Worldwide.

Period drama Downton Abbey has been sold to over 100 countries with the third series attracting a record 8.2 million viewers on the US channel PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), it said.

Other programmes bolstering UK exports included the drama Mr Selfridge and detective series Midsomer Murders.

But despite the success of such programmes, the popularity of reality television continued to grow in 2012.

The format for The Voice was exported to 16 territories in 2012 from Vietnam to Turkey and Australia, compared to three in 2011.

The other most successful reality show formats were Got Talent, developed by British music mogul Simon Cowell, Strictly Come Dancing, originated in the UK and remade in the US as Dancing with the Stars, followed by Masterchef (UK)