More Layoffs Hit BBC Kids Department As CBBC Production Revamped

Max Goldbart
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Another round of layoffs has hit the BBC Children’s & Education department after a revamp to production of the CBBC Studio.

A consultation in Salford’s Media City has started and 11 roles are set to be closed after a decision was made to outsource the presentation links between shows on the popular kids channel, we are told. These presentation links used to take place in the iconic Broom Cupboard but are now done in the CBBC Studio, as channel favorites like Hacker T Dog announce shows and take part in mini skits. Production on the CBeebies presentation links, including the famous Bedtime Stories, will remain the same.

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The move is the second phase of a set of changes brought in last year following an 18-month structural review into BBC Children’s, the first of which saw around 25 leave the department and was revealed by Deadline in February 2023.

The presentation links will be outsourced and put out to tender next month, supported by a reduced in-house team, Deadline understands. A similar outsourcing decision was taken over popular BBC kids show Blue Peter earlier this year. Another 11 roles will be created to support BBC Children’s focus on animation commissions and content production for the Bitesize Futures strategy. Animation has been a key plank of department boss Patricia Hidalgo’s strategy since she took over.

BBC Children’s hits include the likes of Hey Duggee, Oliver Twist adaptation Dodger and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Famous Five.

“This is the second phase of changes that were announced to staff in February 2023 to deliver our creative ambitions for Children’s and Education, allowing us to make savings but also reinvesting so we can deliver more value for audiences across the UK,” said a BBC spokeswoman. “These decisions are never easy, but we aim to make these savings – as far as is possible – through voluntary redundancy.”

Upon publishing its July annual report, the BBC said it would lay off 500 more staff by March 2026 as its deficit ballooned. The corporation has been battling with heightened competition, soaring costs and a barely-rising licence fee. Earlier this month, it was revealed that around one fifth of the 500 will come from local news teams outside of London.

Speaking yesterday at RTS London, former BBC Chair Richard Sharp said Director General Tim Davie needs to keep making “tough” decisions in order for the corporation to be able to spend more on TV shows.

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