BBC to cut hundreds of jobs and review programmes as part of major downsizing

The BBC is to cut about 550 roles and review broadcast TV and radio programmes - as well as the positions of its chief news presenters - in the first phase of a major downsizing plan.

Director-general Matt Brittin, who took up the role in May, told employees on Wednesday that £160m of staff and non-staff cost savings would be made from across BBC News and TV and radio teams by the end of the financial year.

More savings across all areas will be set out in the coming months, with 700 corporate roles also expected to go and senior leader roles to be reduced by at least 10%, he added.

In a follow-up message from Jonathan Munro, the interim chief executive of BBC News and Current Affairs, staff were told details of cuts and changes to specific shows, and that a review of chief presenter roles would also be carried out.

These cuts are the first to be announced as part of a huge savings plan announced in April, with up to 2,000 jobs to go in total - the corporation's biggest downsizing in almost 15 years.

In his memo, Mr Munro told staff: "Our news presenters have a unique relationship with our audiences. However, given the savings we need to make across the whole of BBC News, we are carrying out a review of our chief presenter roles.

"This is designed to ensure we have the right number of presenters, deployed as flexibly and efficiently as possible, to balance audience needs with best value for money."

On-air editor roles are also being reviewed and a proposal has been made to close dedicated social presenter roles.

In one positive for Newsnight, Mr Munro said it would move to a peak-time slot on Fridays, "building on the success of its refreshed format".

'A doubly difficult time for everyone'

The scale of savings needed "requires tough choices" and all divisions "will be making significant savings", Mr Brittin said in his internal note to staff.

Overall, the plan is to cut commissioning spend across the Content, News and Nations departments by about £80 million in the year 2027-28.

Broadcast TV channels and the radio network portfolio would be reviewed "as audiences move online", Mr Brittin said, and steps will also be taken to "reduce duplication, clarify accountability, and increase the speed of decision making".

"We live in very uncertain times," the BBC boss added. "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."

'Death by a thousand cuts'

Philippa Childs, head of media and entertainment union Bectu, responded to the announcement by saying the cuts were "far from ideal" taking place at the same time as the BBC's charter renewal - and that they would affect the broadcaster's ability to deliver its public service mission.

"In an era of fake news and an industry that is becoming more concentrated in the hands of a few multinational corporations, the UK needs a confident, ambitious and sustainably-funded BBC more than ever," she said.

"The charter renewal must put the BBC's funding on a secure, long-term pathway or it risks death by a thousand cuts."

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The union is in talks with the BBC "to mitigate the impact as much as possible", she added.

Cathy Sweet, head of TV and film at entertainment and performing arts trade union Equity, described the cuts as "devastating" and said they risked the BBC becoming "unable to live up to its aim to inform, educate and entertain".

Mr Brittin, a former Google executive, replaced Tim Davie as director-general in last month.

Mr Davie announced his resignation from the corporation in November last year, amid controversy and a $10bn (about $7.5bn) lawsuit over the editing of a BBC documentary about Donald Trump.

(c) Sky News 2026: BBC to cut hundreds of jobs and review programmes as part of major downsizing