The BBC has cancelled a landmark show after 56 years on air as part of sweeping £80 million budget cuts at the publicly funded broadcaster. According to reports, the changes will see BBC Radio 4 classic The World Tonight closed, with hundreds of staff members facing redundancy as further programmes undergo major changes in the coming months.
Radio 4 and 5 Live Changes
Radio 4 will also cancel Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show, and Crossing Continents in 2027. The World Tonight is set to be replaced by Newshour. Radio 5 Live’s Weekend Breakfast will be cut down to a two-hour programme from April 2027, down from three hours.
TV Schedule Overhaul
On the television side, BBC Breakfast will no longer air on Sundays, instead being replaced by the BBC News channel. Newsnight will be moved into a peak time slot on Fridays after the “success of its refreshed format.” The news team behind that show could possibly merge with the production team for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, according to a BBC proposal, which would not change the format for viewers.
Today Programme Presenter Cuts
Additionally, the BBC’s Today programme will be cut from five to four permanent presenters, with just one presenter appearing on Saturdays.
Job Losses and Future Cuts
Up to 2,000 jobs are set to go in total. BBC News and Current Affairs interim chief executive Jonathan Munro said in a memo to staff: “Our news presenters have a unique relationship with our audiences. However, given the savings we need to make across the whole of BBC News, we are carrying out a review of our chief presenter roles. This is designed to ensure we have the right number of presenters, deployed as flexibly and efficiently as possible, to balance audience needs with best value for money.”
Deadline reports that the current cuts are worth around £25 million, of a planned £50 million in cuts – meaning another round is expected in the coming months. Express.co.uk has contacted the BBC for comment.
