BBC confirms channel closures on TV and radio - including BBC Three and BBC Scotland

About 100 jobs will be axed at BBC News.

Exterior of the BBC’s Broadcasting House, showing large white “BBC” logo panels mounted on a glass-and-steel facade above revolving entrance doors.

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Published: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 2:52 pm

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The BBC has confirmed it will close BBC Three, BBC Scotland and BBC Radio 4 Extra linear broadcast services in spring 2027.

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The move comes as the corporation faces pressure to make savings of £500 million by 2028, with previous cuts across the BBC already having been revealed.

In addition, about 100 jobs will also be axed at BBC News.

A number of roles will also be cut as a result of the broadcast closures, including ten in Scotland.

As part of the changes, which were announced to staff on Tuesday morning (20 October), BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer, but will no longer be a broadcast channel on television. Content will also be available on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland.

BBC Three commissions, which attract younger audiences, will be available on BBC iPlayer and on other platforms, including YouTube.

Programmes from Radio 4 Extra will be available on BBC Sounds, and The Daily Service will be on BBC Sounds and local radio.

In a note to staff explaining the changes, BBC Director-General Matt Brittin said: "We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices."

He said on the closure of linear broadcast services: "Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy it on iPlayer and Sounds. While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues."

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Authors

RadioTimes.com senior trends writer Molly Moss. She is sitting outside wearing a black top, holding a white teacup with a smily face on it to her mouth

Molly MossTrends Writer

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.

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