YouTube is set to overtake the BBC as the most popular entertainment website in the UK if current trends continue.
According to statistics from internet monitoring company Hitwise, the BBC could find its number one status, which it has held for the past two years, taken by the video-sharing site.
Visits to YouTube have risen more than seven-fold since last May. Though the BBC's share of visits is also rising, growing 13 per cent in the same period, the gap between the two sites is closing rapidly.
Last week, the BBC accounted for 0.82 per cent of all UK internet visits, while YouTube received 0.81 per cent.
Though they might be battling it out in the rankings, the two organisations have a mutually-beneficial partnership where the BBC shows clips of some of its most popular shows on YouTube.
Earlier this week, YouTube, which is owned by Google, launched nine localised versions including UK- and Ireland-specific sites.
