The BBC is set to cut up to 2,000 jobs over the next two years as part of a major cost-reduction plan aimed at saving £500 million, roughly 10% of its annual budget.
The announcement, made during an internal staff call, marks the broadcaster’s largest round of layoffs in more than a decade. In a message to employees, interim Director-General Rhodri Talfan Davies acknowledged the uncertainty caused by the move but said transparency was necessary given the scale of the challenge.
The decision comes as the BBC faces mounting financial strain due to rising inflation, pressure on licence fee income, declining commercial revenues, and broader global economic instability. The organisation had earlier indicated plans to reduce nearly a tenth of its budget by 2029.
Most of the job cuts are expected to take effect from the financial year beginning April 2027.
The restructuring push also coincides with a leadership transition, as Matt Brittin is set to take over as director-general next month, replacing Tim Davie.
The changes follow recent turbulence within the organisation, including the departure of former news chief Deborah Turness after controversy over a documentary edit related to a speech by Donald Trump ahead of the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
Trump has since filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
Despite the challenges, the BBC remains one of the UK’s most influential public broadcasters, funded primarily through an annual television licence fee, which currently stands at £180 for households consuming live TV or BBC content.
