BBC3, BBC Scotland and BBC Radio 4 Extra are to cease operating as linear broadcast services from spring next year, the BBC has confirmed.
The corporation said the closures would contribute to the £500m cost savings the organisation is committed to making by 2028.
BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer and selected commissions will continue to play out on BBC1 and BBC2 in Scotland, while Reporting Scotland: News at Seven will be discontinued. Fewer shows will be commissioned for the channel and around ten jobs will go.
BBC3, home of Stacey Dooley [pictured] and comedies Smoggie Queens, Such Brave Girls and Things I Should Have Done, will also continue on iPlayer and platforms such as YouTube. The BBC said there will be increased investment in content for young audiences, but did not go into further detail.
Archive-oriented Radio 4 Extra programming will remain on-demand via BBC Sounds.
BBC director general Matt Brittin told staff the corporation faced tough choices as it needs to “make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world”.
Meanwhile, BBC News head Rachel Jupp, who took up the job this month, has said more than her department will cut more than 100 jobs. She will be outlining plans for further savings in early 2027.
Directors UK chief executive Andy Harrower urged the BBC to guarantee its cost-cutting will not lead to a reduction in volume or breath of commissioning.
“For many directors, commissions on BBC3 and BBC Scotland provide essential opportunities for them to develop their craft, take creative risks and progress towards larger productions,” he said.
“BBC3 gives a platform to younger voices, while BBC Scotland ensures Scottish voices and stories have a dedicated place within public service broadcasting. While they serve distinct audiences, both create space for voices that can be underserved elsewhere. These services help to develop local and emerging talent, while also providing opportunities for established creative voices, enabling directors from every part of the country to build lasting careers.
“Any new model must protect investment in emerging directors and production across the nations and regions, and ensure that audiences are still able to easily find these programmes online.”
