The BBC is to reduce its television team responsible for broadcasting royal occasions and veterans' remembrance events to just one permanent member of staff, according to reports. The decision will see five out of six roles in the department cut as part of cost-saving measures.
Claire Popplewell, who has been creative director of the team since 2018 and won the Royal Television Society Outstanding Contribution Award in 2022, will remain as the sole permanent employee. The rest of the team will be replaced by freelancers. The department has covered all major royal ceremonial events, including the late Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.
The move follows criticism of the broadcaster's decision earlier this year to drop live coverage of the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, citing budget cuts. A source told The Times: 'They are literally the crown jewel of live British broadcasting. They would never do this for Premiership football events.'
Sir Michael Ellis, a former arts minister, described the move as 'another disgraceful anti-British decision', contrasting it with the BBC sending 550 staff to Glastonbury. Buckingham Palace is also reported to be concerned about future television coverage of historic royal events.
A BBC spokesman said: 'As a prudent commercial business with a mandate to maximise returns to the BBC, we regularly look at how we're set up and where we can work more efficiently. We're proposing some changes that will help us stay strong creatively while managing our costs in a challenging market.' The broadcaster plans to cut more than £500m from its annual budget.
