EXCLUSIVE: The BBC will merge TV and audio commissioning teams across comedy and other genres amid plans to close around 100 roles in its content unit.
In an internal memo earlier this week, BBC content chief Kate Phillips told colleagues that her department will make “tough” choices to support the corporation’s belt-tightening.
Phillips announced that she will combine TV and audio commissioning teams across comedy, arts, and classical music from January 2027.
“This is about creating more opportunities for commissioners to collaborate, share ideas and develop the strongest possible content for audiences wherever they are,” she said.
Practically, this will mean that comedy chief Chris Sussman will oversee the genre across TV and radio, with Julia McKenzie, Radio 4’s commissioning editor for comedy and entertainment, joining his team.
Suzy Klein, head of arts and classical music TV, will oversee audio and video commissioning for arts, with Matthew Dodd, commissioning editor for arts on Radio 4, joining her team. Sam Jackson, controller of BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, will oversee audio and video commissioning for classical music.
Phillips announced the change in an email detailing how the content unit will contribute to the BBC’s plans to save £500 million ($669M).
The BBC will close around 100 roles across the content unit by the end of its current financial year, despite the division’s headcount being relatively low compared with other areas of the broadcaster.
“Although staff costs are a relatively small proportion of our overall budgets, some headcount reduction will be required,” content teams were told. “We’ll prioritise voluntary redundancy and closing vacancies wherever possible, with the aim of keeping compulsory redundancies to a minimum.”
The BBC’s content unit has previously announced that it will contribute £100M of savings to the corporation’s overall goal of £500M. This will include slashing commissioning spend by £80M, cutting 100-150 hours of original TV shows and 350-400 hours of audio by March 2028.
“These changes will mean decommissioning some shows, fewer commissions across our genres, as well as a reduction in our development spend by around 15%, focusing on fewer ideas with the strongest chance of success,” the BBC has said.
The broadcaster has already announced that series including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, and Live At The Apollo are all casualties of the cuts.
Earlier this week, the BBC confirmed that BBC Three, BBC Scotland and Radio 4 Extra would close as television services by spring next year.
Phillips told colleagues: “I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone in BBC Content who is working incredibly hard to ensure we’re set up for future success. I know things aren’t easy at the moment; and there will be more change to come. But I’m so proud of all that we do.”