The BBC has revealed that entire radio programmes and 10% of senior roles are to be axed as part of the its 2,000 job cuts in its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The cuts make up £160m of its savings target of £500m (10% of total costs) over the next three years, announced in February, which will see up to 2,000 roles cut.
Around 550 roles are expected to be cut across News, Nations and Content divisions by the start of 2027/28.
These divisions would also be making a reduction in commissioning spend of around £80m.
A target of £25m is to be saved in News with a net reduction of 200 roles, £100m in content with a reduction of 100 roles and £33m in National with a cut of 250 roles.
Further savings across all divisions will be set out in the coming months, a BBC spokesperson said, including corporate divisions, where around 700 roles are expected to go.
Broadcast output is set to be cut “as audiences move online”, said director-general Matt Brittin.
Read more: Journalism job cuts in 2026 tracked: Rolling updates
Exclusive: BBC Sounds producers cut by more than two-thirds
As well as radio shows being cut, Press Gazette understands streaming service BBC Sounds producers will be cut by 69% from 42 to 13, with unique content pulled back from regional shows.
Voluntary redundancy is said to be open today for BBC Sounds producers, with consultations to be had if the BBC does not make its targeted savings.
A source at BBC Sounds said: “This is yet another example of the BBC salami slicing local media provision. Sounds producers have worked incredibly hard to achieve the ‘digital first’ goals, but clearly, achieving those goals was not good enough. The loss of local Sounds producers will mean that audiences will no longer see themselves represented in the BBC’s online offering. Moreover, it’s part of what is clearly a managed decline of BBC Local. Senior leaders may claim to be adamant that they’re dedicated to preserving local provision, but we don’t see that in practice.”
The BBC said is expecting to reduce audio content by around 350-400 hours across stations and genres by the end of 2027/28 “while protecting many of our prime daily programmes”.
Radio shows closing next year across the BBC include Radio 4’s The World Tonight, Midnight News, AntiSocial, The Law Show and Crossing Continents.
Former BBC foreign correspondent Hugh Sykes said on Bluesky: “The end of Crossing Continents leaves Radio 4 with no scheduled foreign affairs outlet other than From Our Own Correspondent, which is a collection of ‘talks’, not on-the-ground reporting.”
Former presenter of The World Tonight Robin Lustig said (also on Bluesky): “Very sad to learn that Radio 4’s The World Tonight is to be killed off. It has a long and honourable history as one of the more thoughtful BBC news programmes and I am proud to have been associated with it for more than twenty years. But as from next April, it will be no more.”
From April 2027, weeknight audiences on Radio 4 will hear a domestic news bulletin at 10pm followed by a simulcast of BBC World Service programme Newshour, running in a new time slot. This will cover the global news agenda for both the World Service and Radio 4 audiences, but also continue to feature major UK news stories.
BBC One’s Breakfast on Sunday is also expected to end from September, with a simulcast of the BBC News Channel shown instead.
Radio 4’s Money Box Live will be cut down from twice-weekly to Saturdays.
Felicity Hannah, presenter of Money Box, said on Bluesky: “Yes, it’s true. Money Box Live has been the standout and most beloved part of my entire career. We have served so many communities, told so many stories and explained so many issues. I am heartbroken.
“Just in case of confusion, the Money Box programme on Saturdays with Paul will continue. So there is still a space for important personal finance stories – don’t stop listening.”
Radio 4 Today host Amol Rajan will reportedly not be replaced, meaning there is a roster of four permanent presenters rather than five, and a single anchor on Saturdays.
Production teams of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will be merged. From September, Friday’s Newsnight will be moved to a peak-time slot on BBC Two “building on the success of its refreshed format” – the BBC said in a statement outlining BBC News savings plans .
The BBC is also proposing TV production be shared across the News Channel and BBC One bulletins, while the News Channel will have a more international focus.
Director-general: Cuts of ‘this scale’ mean compulsory redundancies
In an email to the newsroom, acting BBC News CEO Jonathan Munro said: “Change of this scale is never easy, and we recognise the personal impact it can have. We are committed to supporting everyone through this period as fully as we can.
“We have had to make some very tough choices. But they are considered choices – made carefully and collectively – with a clear focus on aligning our resources to our audiences.”
Director-general Brittin said in an update to staff: “Reductions of this scale inevitably mean some compulsory redundancies, though we will work hard to avoid this wherever we can. Many divisions have already opened voluntary redundancy windows; more will be opening today. We will also have to close some programmes.
“These are difficult choices and we will apply three guiding principles: sustain output with the highest audience value and impact, meet audiences where they are, reducing spend elsewhere…
“Make the BBC simpler and faster – we must reduce duplication, clarify accountability, and increase the speed of decision making. This includes reducing senior leaders by at least 10%.
“The News, Nations and Content divisions will set out more details in calls and updates over the coming days. For other divisions, leaders will update you with the latest progress on the size of the savings needed, the opening of voluntary redundancy windows and when you will hear more.
“We live in very uncertain times. Our audiences rely on us every day to keep them informed, entertained and equipped to make sense of the world. Making savings while fulfilling our mission means a doubly difficult time for everyone.”
NUJ: ‘Not the time’ for BBC to retreat from ‘public service’
National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary Laura Davison said the move comes amid a “need” for accurate and locally relevant journalism, with “increasing media monopolization”, misinformation and AI.
“This is not the time for the BBC to retreat from its public service commitments and its core mission to inform, educate, and entertain,” she said.
“Our members are already being asked to produce more with fewer resources, leaving workers across newsrooms at risk of burnout. Previous rounds of cuts have resulted in unmanageable workloads, low morale, loss of staff, and fewer opportunities for freelances or career progression.
“This constant cycle of cuts and cost-saving must end. With Charter Renewal underway, the BBC and government should instead be focussing on securing positive reforms that guarantee a bright future for our public broadcaster.
“Our ‘Back The BBC’ campaign sets out members’ priorities for Charter Renewal: increased funding, worker representation on the BBC board, and truly independent governance.
“However, Charter Renewal won’t come soon enough to stop these cuts, which is why we are calling on the government to urgently intervene.
“The NUJ will be supporting members collectively and individually though these difficult times. We strongly encourage BBC workers to stand with us and get involved in the union. Working together gives us a stronger collective voice and helps us fight to protect jobs and programming.”
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