The BBC will cut up to 2,000 people across its departments could lose their jobs as the British broadcaster seeks to cut costs.
Interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, who took over following Tim Davie’s resignation, told staff on Wednesday that the company needed to save roughly $679 million (£500 million) from its $6.79 billion (£5 billion) in operating costs. That means the BBC will have to lose between 1,800 to 2,000 positions, he said in a note to staff.
“I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” Talfan Davies wrote.
The broadcaster will also tighten spending on recruitment, traveling and conference attendance.
Talfan Davies announced the cuts during an all-staff meeting on Wednesday, which could affect roughly one in 10 employees. The BBC employs about 21,508 people across the U.K.
A BBC spokesperson did not comment.
“All of this needs to be done with real care – for our audiences and, of course, for all of you,” Talfan Davies wrote. “I know this is challenging news, and we’ll need to work closely together to build our plans. My commitment to you is that we’ll do everything possible to try to reduce the strain and uncertainty that change of this kind brings.”
The cuts would be the largest slashing at the broadcaster in years after confirming last year it would cut $130 million in costs, including through layoffs. It had already cut roughly 2,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, over five years under Davie’s leadership.
The BBC last month named former Google executive Matt Brittin as its next director general, and he’s expected to begin in May.
The cuts would come after the BBC disclosed last month it was targeting a 10% cut to its cost base over the next three years. The decision stemmed from “continued financial pressures” that would lead to “some difficult choices as we reshape the BBC for the future,” the broadcaster said in its 2026-2027 annual report.
“These choices, which will be led by focusing on value to audiences whilst continuing to deliver on our public purposes, are expected to impact all areas of our portfolio and will reduce commissioning opportunities,” it wrote in the report.
The BBC wants to complete the cuts by its 2028-2029 report. Its operating costs last year were about $8 billion (£6 billion), indicating it would need to cut about $800 million (£600 million).
