BBC cancels multiple shows due to funding cuts
The BBC has cancelled Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, and Live at the Apollo as part of cost-cutting measures, citing funding pressures.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The BBC has cancelled three of its entertainment programmes as part of a major cost-cutting drive. Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo will not return to screens, the corporation confirmed. The decision comes as the BBC seeks to save £500 million, which will require the removal of around 150 hours of television content from its schedules.
In a statement, the BBC acknowledged that these were much-loved programmes but said it had to make tough choices in light of funding challenges. The regular version of Mastermind will continue, but the celebrity spin-off has been dropped. Blankety Blank, which first aired in 1979 and was most recently hosted by Bradley Walsh, ended its latest run in June and will not be coming back. Live at the Apollo, a showcase for stand-up comedians that has run for 22 years, has also been cut.
The BBC warned that further programme cancellations and schedule changes are expected in the coming months as it continues to implement the savings. The cuts are part of a wider financial restructuring at the broadcaster, which has faced pressure over its licence fee funding model and rising costs.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| BBC is cancelling Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo as part of cost-cutting. | |
| BBC is making £500 million worth of cuts, requiring removal of around 150 hours of TV content. | |
| Further BBC programme cancellations are expected in the coming months. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the specific shows being cancelled and the scale of the BBC's cost-cutting programme. It included a brief history of Blankety Blank and Live at the Apollo, and noted that the BBC acknowledged the programmes were 'much-loved' but had to make 'tough choices'. The tone was factual and neutral, with no criticism or defence of the decision. The report also mentioned that further announcements would follow, and briefly touched on unrelated news about rugby and weather.
- “Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo are being cancelled by the BBC as part of its effort to make financial savings.”
- “The BBC acknowledged that these were much-loved programmes, but said it had to make some tough choices in light of funding challenges.”
- “The BBC is in the midst of making £500 million worth of cuts, which will require up to around 150 hours of TV content to be taken out of the schedules.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.