The BBC has scrapped iconic comedy show Live at the Apollo, along with Celebrity Mastermind and Blankety Blank, as part of a drive to save £500 million over the coming years.
End of an Era for Comedy and Game Shows
Live at the Apollo, which started in September 2004, helped launch the careers of comedians such as Michael McIntyre, John Bishop, Mo Gilligan and Katherine Ryan. Celebrity Mastermind has run for 19 seasons since 2002, while Blankety Blank has been paused and revived several times since its 1979 debut.
The Chase star Bradley Walsh, who hosted the most recent festive episode after the show’s revival in 2021, said he no longer had time for the programme. “I just don’t have the time, which is sad because I’ve loved Blankety Blank. It’s been one of my favourite shows, and it’s been brilliant,” he told Radio Times.
Funding Challenges Behind the Decisions
The BBC said in a statement: “We are incredibly proud of all three of these much-loved shows and would like to thank everyone involved, both in front of and behind the camera, for bringing them to screen and making them such a success over many years. Unfortunately, we have to make some really tough choices in light of our funding challenges, and these savings have been identified from the entertainment genre.”
Around 94% of the UK population uses the BBC every month, but fewer than 80% pay the £180 annual licence fee, contributing to the broadcaster’s financial pressures.
