BBC axes three shows in £500m savings drive

The BBC has cancelled Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo as it accelerates a major cost-cutting programme. The broadcaster is facing severe funding challenges and is attempting to save £500 million over the next three years.

BBC Content must deliver a minimum of £100 million in recurring annual savings to meet this target. This will result in the reduction of 100 to 150 hours of originated television programmes across genres by the end of 2027/28, with further cuts expected in the coming months.

Declining audiences drove the decision to drop these specific formats. Celebrity Mastermind viewership fell from 4 million in 2017 to 1.7 million for its most recent series. Blankety Blank dropped from 5.5 million viewers in 2021 to 2.3 million, while Live at the Apollo fell from 1.3 million in 2018 to just 660,000. These figures include catch-up viewing on the iPlayer platform.

The reduction in linear output has direct implications for the independent production sector that supplies the UK media economy. Celebrity Mastermind, for example, is filmed in Belfast. The BBC stated it would "still continue to commission ambitious Entertainment shows and invest in distinctive UK content from a wide range of independent production companies of all sizes."

However, the corporation is clearly pivoting its resources away from traditional television schedules. While Live at the Apollo will end its 20-year run on linear broadcasting after one final, already-filmed series, the BBC said it would "shortly be announcing digital plans focused on stand-up and emerging comedy talent."

The broadcaster said this shift would "ensure we continue to support the stand-up community in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive media landscape." It added that it was "incredibly proud of all three of these much-loved shows" but had to make "really tough choices in light of our funding challenges." The main Mastermind series, hosted by Clive Myrie, will continue.