The BBC will close three of its main linear broadcast services and axe more than 100 jobs as part of its latest cost-cutting measures.
The corporation announced on Tuesday afternoon that BBC Three, Scotland and Radio 4 Extra will close in spring 2027.
Around 100 staff members will also lose their jobs at BBC News amid pressure put on the corporation to save some £500million by 2028. A number of roles are also expected to be cut as a result of the broadcast closures, including ten in Scotland.
In a statement released this afternoon, the BBC said the ‘tough decision’ has been made ‘due to the sustained financial pressures facing the organisation’.
Staff were told of the news on Tuesday morning, the corporation said.
BBC Director-General Mark Brittin said: ‘We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices.
‘Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy it on iPlayer and Sounds. While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues.’
BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer, but will no longer be a broadcast channel on television. Content will also be available on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland.
The BBC will close three of its main broadcast services next year as part of its latest cost-cutting measures
BBC Three content, which has a younger-skewing audience, will be available on BBC iPlayer and on other platforms, including YouTube.
It is not the first time BBC Three has been cut from linear TV. It returned as a fully-fledged TV channel in January 2022, six years after it moved online.
Programmes from Radio 4 Extra will meanwhile be available on BBC Sounds – and The Daily Service will be on BBC Sounds and local radio.
The 100 workers set to lose their jobs have already been made aware of the news, according to an email sent out by Rachel Jupp, the new director of BBC News.
She said: ‘We’re now announcing further saving proposals, with a total value of around £5.5 million which represents the net closure of just over 100 roles.
‘I know this will be very difficult news for those affected. We will continue to work closely with colleagues and trade unions throughout the consultation process and will do everything we can to minimise the need for compulsory redundancies.
‘Colleagues affected by today’s proposals have already been informed.’
Ms Jupp added that she will be assessing whether further cost-cutting may be necessary ‘over the next few weeks’, though plans are thought to be in place for savings to be made next year.
The announcement of the corporation’s latest plan to save money comes a little more after a number of Radio 4 programmes were axed.
You and Yours, Thinking Allowed, Free Thinking and The Artificial Human all face the chopping block in a move which the corporation said would bring about ‘significant savings’. Open Country, a long-running rural affairs show, was also axed.
BBC 5 Live will too see a reduction in its commissioning budget on schedule and sports podcasts from 2027.
Jonathan Wall, director of BBC Sounds, said when the move was announced on October 8: ‘We are reshaping BBC speech audio to build a strong future for trusted journalism, distinctive storytelling and programmes that bring people together.
‘By commissioning fewer programmes overall, we can focus our investment and make our best shows work across broadcast, on demand and different formats.
‘That means accelerating growth on our own digital platforms and reaching more people beyond the BBC, while maintaining the strength of Radio 4 and 5 Live, the country’s two biggest speech radio stations.
‘These are difficult decisions, and they are not based on cost alone. We need to make significant savings while investing for the future. I am extremely grateful to the teams behind the programmes affected, and we will support colleagues and work closely with unions throughout consultation.’
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
