The head of the BBC today announced the abolition of around 550 jobs by March 2027, including through redundancies, as part of the 2000 job cuts plan over a period of 3 years, within the crisis broadcasting group.
The redundancies will affect various sections, including information and programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where certain emissions are expected to be discontinued. These measures are expected to save £160 million (€185 million) by the end of the BBC's financial year, Matt Brittin clarified in a memo to staff who came to know the French News Agency (AFP).
"The range of economies to be made includes difficult choices" and "all departments" will be affected, according to former Google executive, who took over a month ago duties in the British broadcasting group.
BBC to Cut 550 Jobs and Reducing Commissioning Spend by More Than $100 Million as Part of Savings Plan, New Director General Says https://t.co/reyz48tYFR— Variety (@Variety) June 17, 2026
The BBC Director-General did not specify which programmes might be abolished, simply stressing that "the contents showing the highest added value and the greatest impact" would be spared.
"Restrictions of this size inevitably lead to mandatory dismissals, even if we do everything in our power to avoid them wherever we can," Brittin completed, specifying that many departments will open voluntary retirement programs.
Around 700 job cuts will be announced in administrative structures over the next few months, the director general said, stressing that the BBC is going through an "extremely uncertain period".
The media giant announced in April this plan to abolish 1,800-2 000 jobs, i.e. 10% of its staff, due to "significant economic pressures", i.e. the biggest wave of redundancies within the public body in the last 15 years.
The general secretary of the National Association of Journalists (NUJ) Laura Davison disapproved of the "destructive" cuts, not only for BBC employees but also for the British public.
The broadcaster, who has recorded a fall in revenue from copyright fees, aims to save £500 million (575 million) over the next two years, from the total annual cost of £5 billion.
The BBC has also been weakened in recent years by various scandals, including what led to the resignation of its general manager, Tim Davy, in November.
A top BBC research program broadcast a misleading edited version of a speech by President Donald Trump, who filed a defamation lawsuit in Florida.