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BBC to cut 2,000 jobs in UK for the first time in 15 years: Report

The BBC staff are expected to be told that about one in 10 could lose their jobs at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the Financial Times reported.

Updated on: Apr 15, 2026, 22:36:48 IST
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The BBC is set to cut 2,000 jobs in one of the biggest downsizing, for the first time in 15 years ahead of the arrival of its new director-general Matt Brittin.

The BBC announced a £600m cost-cutting plan in February. (File Photo/AFP)
The BBC announced a £600m cost-cutting plan in February. (File Photo/AFP)

The cut is set of affect around 10 per cent of the total 21,500 employees in the UK, according to a report in The Guardian. The BBC has, however, not officially announced the planned job cuts.

The senior staff were informed of the cuts during a meeting on Wednesday, while interim director general Rhodri Talfan Davies expected to announce the redundancies.

Meanwhile, the BBC staff are expected to be told that about one in 10 could lose their jobs at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the Financial Times reported.

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The latest round of job cuts is the biggest the organisation had since 2011. It comes before former top Google executive Matt Brittin is set to take as the new director general next month. Brittin's appointment comes as the organisation is going through a critical phase in its history.

BBC's £600m cost-cutting plan

The BBC announced a £600m cost-cutting plan in February that included job reduction as part of its initiatives to bring down operational costs. It would also end some programme as per “substantial financial pressures”.

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Tim Davie, the outgoing director general, earlier said that the UK broadcaster would need to cut 10 per cent of its approximately £6 Billion annual cost base over the next three years.

Meanwhile, the BBC is negotiating with the government over the renewal of its royal charter, which expires at the end of next year.

In 2025, media regulator Ofcom said public service television, made by the BBC, ITV and Channels 4 and 5, was becoming an “endangered species” in the streaming era.

  • Majid Alam
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    Majid Alam

    Majid Alam is a Chief Content Producer working at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. He currently heads shifts at online desk and manages homepage apart from writing, editing and curating articles. With over six years of experience in journalism, Majid has navigated national, politics and international news. His work primarily focuses on the politics of the Hindi heartland, government policies, and South Asia. He also writes on US and Europe’s policies vis-à-vis India. Before joining Hindustan Times, Majid worked at ABP LIVE as the Chief Copy Editor and at News18, where he managed the World and Explainers sections. His articles have featured in Dialogue Earth, The Quint, BMJ, The Diplomat, and Outlook India. Majid has a keen interest in the use of data for storytelling. Majid holds a Masters in Convergent Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia. He was awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship to study International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris in 2020. He is also part of the OCEANS Network, an alumni network of Erasmus+ exchange scholars. He is currently serving as the National Representative (India) at the OCEANS Network. Apart from journalism, Majid has a flair for academic writing and loves to teach. He has published a book chapter: 'Bombay Cinema and Postmodernism' in the book: 'Handbook of Research on Social and Cultural Dynamics in Indian Cinema.' He was also part of the OCEANS Network delegation to Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam in 2025. He has also given guest lecture in digital journalism at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia.Read More

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