BBC cancels three shows and cuts 150 TV hours in £500m savings plan
Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo will end after final series air next year
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The BBC will end three television programmes as part of a plan to cut £500 million in costs over the next three years. Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo will be cancelled after each airs one final series. The decision was announced on 10 October 2024, as reported by the Harrow Times.
A BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster is proud of the shows and thanked the teams involved. The spokesperson added that the cuts were necessary due to funding challenges. The savings will come from the entertainment genre, but the BBC said it will continue to support comedy talent through new digital initiatives.
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150 hours of original TV to be cut annually
The BBC Content division aims to save at least £100 million each year. To meet this target, the broadcaster will reduce original television programming by 100 to 150 hours annually by the end of 2027-28. Further details on where additional savings will be made are expected in the coming months.
Regular Mastermind, presented by Clive Myrie, will not be affected by the cuts. The BBC said it remains committed to commissioning ambitious entertainment shows, including new digital content focused on stand-up comedy and emerging performers.
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Naga Munchetty to leave BBC Breakfast after 17 years
Naga Munchetty will leave BBC Breakfast in December after 17 years on the programme. She will join 5 Live Breakfast as co-presenter in January 2027. Munchetty said the move was an opportunity she could not refuse. She described 5 Live as a station that excels in live news and audience engagement.
Presenting a flagship programme on 5 Live is an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up.
Naga Munchetty, incoming 5 Live Breakfast co-presenter
Munchetty’s appointment follows the departure of current 5 Live Breakfast hosts Rick Edwards and Rachel Burden, who will step down in December. She said the new role would require her full focus and energy. Munchetty joined BBC Breakfast in 2009.
What happens next
The final series of Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo will air in 2025. The BBC has not confirmed which programmes will replace them. Further announcements on additional cost-cutting measures in the Content division are expected before the end of 2024.
Naga Munchetty will present her last BBC Breakfast show in December 2024. Her first appearance on 5 Live Breakfast will be on 5 January 2027.
Questions this report answers
+Which shows are being cancelled as part of the BBC savings plan?
The BBC will cancel Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo after each airs one final series in 2025. Regular Mastermind, hosted by Clive Myrie, will continue, and the broadcaster remains committed to comedy talent through new digital initiatives.
+How much will the BBC save by cancelling these shows?
The BBC plans to save £500 million by 2027 through these cancellations and other cost-cutting measures. The savings will come specifically from the entertainment genre, with at least £100 million saved each year from reduced original TV programming.
+Who will be affected by Naga Munchetty’s departure from BBC Breakfast?
Naga Munchetty will leave BBC Breakfast in December 2024 after 17 years, moving to co-present 5 Live Breakfast from January 2027. Her departure follows the planned exits of current 5 Live Breakfast hosts Rick Edwards and Rachel Burden in December.
+What happens next with the BBC’s savings plan?
The final series of the cancelled shows will air in 2025, and further announcements on additional cost-cutting measures are expected before the end of 2024. The BBC has not yet confirmed which programmes will replace them.
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