BBC to cut 22 drama jobs

UK pubcaster the BBC is set to axe 22 posts from its in-house drama department, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce costs and budgets.

The Corporation will also look to reduce the amount of money spent on drama series and serials generated from London by a third over the course of the next year.

In an email to staff, BBC Drama director Nicolas Brown said the cuts would cover a variety of roles, including production coordinators, script editors, directors, producers and exec producers. “In some areas roles will be closed completely and in others the total number of available posts will be reduced,” Brown wrote.

However, the cuts will not mean a heavier reliance on indies or changes to the Window of Creative Competition (WoCC). Instead, the BBC will aim to increase drama production in regions such as Wales and Glasgow, rather than London. Among the changes, long-running medical drama Casualty will now be made in Wales.

“We think there is likely to be continuing pressure on content spend in the wake of the pensions issue and freeze on the licence fee,” Brown added. “As a result of all these factors, we do not see our business returning to the 2009/10 level.”

A BBC spokesman told C21 the cuts would not make a difference to what viewers see on screen. There will now be a six-week evaluation process, during which affected staff can put themselves forward for voluntary redundancy.

In a statement, Pat Younge, chief creative officer for the BBC’s Vision Production division, said: “I recognise how difficult today’s announcements will be but the UK drama economy and ecology are constantly changing and BBC Drama Production has to change with it.

“These changes place a significant emphasis on development and growth, ensuring BBC Drama Production is creatively fit for the future.”

The news comes after the BBC this week made a number of changes to its executive board and announced that deputy director-general Mark Byford was departing after 32 years with the public broadcaster.