The BBC is to slash about 100 hours’ worth of new TV shows in the coming year, with original dramas and entertainment bearing the brunt.
The corporation’s Annual Plan shows that in the next 12 months viewers will be getting fewer new shows, due to ‘ongoing pressure on the BBC’s finances and the increasing cost of programming’.
The Annual Plan for 2024/25, released yesterday, revealed that the ‘commitment’ to ‘first-run original drama’ will dip by 13 per cent to 350 hours, in part reflecting the broadcaster’s decision to axe BBC1 daytime soap Doctors.
Entertainment and factual entertainment shows, there will be an even bigger drop of 15 per cent fewer hours, down to 850 hours in the financial year from April.
Added to this there will be ten fewer hours committed to new content across CBBC and CBeebies.
The entrance to the BBC headquarters at Broadcasting House. The corporation’s Annual Plan shows that in the next 12 months viewers will be getting fewer new shows, due to ‘ongoing pressure on the BBC’s finances and the increasing cost of programming’
The BBC says the cancellation of Doctors (pictured) was ‘a result of changes in viewing patterns, ongoing pressure on the BBC’s finances and the increasing cost of programming’
The Annual Plan confirmed that dramas including Call The Midwife (pictured) would be returning
It is understood that the reductions mean that overall there will be 105 hours less of original TV programming in the year ahead.
The Annual Plan also revealed that the BBC is projecting that its total deficit will have a large increase to £492 million for the 2024/25 financial year.
Talking about the reductions in new shows, the report said: ‘We will broadcast about 350 hours of first-run original drama across our channels and BBC iPlayer.
‘This is 13 per cent fewer hours than last year’s commitment, largely reflecting the cancellation of Doctors, itself a result of changes in viewing patterns, ongoing pressure on the BBC’s finances and the increasing cost of programming.’
It added the cuts to children’s programming ‘reflects the continued need for children’s content to have high production values to cut through strong international programming from global streamers and the continuing power of social media and YouTube.’
The Annual Plan confirmed that dramas including Silent Witness, Call The Midwife, Death In Paradise, Shetland and Beyond Paradise would return, as well as entertainment shows Gladiators, Claudia Winkleman-fronted The Traitors and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
It also revealed Andrew Flintoff is set to return to our screens for the first time since his horrendous Top Gear accident in December 2022.
The former England cricketer will front a new series of his BBC1 cricket documentary Field of Dreams.
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