BBC Local plans to end its current late programme by April 2027 in a bid to save £9m among a wider remit to reduce the BBC’s total costs by over £1bn by the end of 2028/29,
The current 10pm to 1am programme will be replaced by a new weekday speech Late Show under the latest plans, developed with MediaCity-HQ’d BBC Radio 5 Live, alongside 5 Live’s existing weekend Late Show.
Through the Night will continue to be made by BBC Local for both networks, it is understood.
Changes are also proposed for weekday evenings from January 2027, with six regional programmes currently broadcast on Tuesdays and Wednesdays coming to an end.
Depending on schedules and sporting fixtures, those slots would instead carry local live sport, one of 18 regional BBC Introducing programmes, one of 10 Upload shows or the all-England Make A Difference programme.
Saturday mornings would change to 18 regional and local breakfast programmes running from 8am to 12pm, replacing the current 6am to 10am programmes. A new all-England early breakfast programme from 6am to 8am would focus on sport.
On Sundays, the current 14 breakfast programmes would reduce to six, broadcasting from 6am to 10am. The morning would have a faith focus, with gardening in the final hour, followed by 18 regional or shared programmes from 10am to 2pm.
No changes are planned to weekday daytime programmes, local news bulletins, radio journalism or local sport coverage, including home and away football commentaries. Introducing, Upload and Black and Asian community programmes would also continue.
The proposals form part of plans to save £9m and close 90 roles across BBC Local. In local news, the BBC is also proposing fewer specialist correspondent roles, with two dedicated multi-platform correspondents in every BBC region and more capacity for what it describes as “high quality digital journalism.”
The changes will be subject to consultation with staff and unions – the National Union of Journalists has already warned of a “death spiral” at the corporation in the wake of cuts already announced by recently appointed new director general Matt Brittin.
