BBC to close BBC Three and BBC Scotland TV channels and Radio 4 Extra in spring 2027

The closures

On Tuesday, 20 October 2026, the BBC announced that BBC Three and BBC Scotland will leave the terrestrial TV schedule in spring 2027 and run only on BBC iPlayer. Radio 4 Extra will also end as a linear service, with its speech and archive output moving to BBC Sounds. The corporation says the changes are part of a drive to save £500m over two years. BBC Scotland's nightly bulletin, Reporting Scotland: News at Seven, will not move to iPlayer and will end when the channel closes. The BBC said a wide range of programming now shown on the Scotland channel will be available online or on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland, and that SPFL Championship matches on Friday evenings will move to BBC Two in Scotland. BBC Scotland director Hayley Valentine said the corporation must 'focus our resources where they will have the greatest impact for audiences' against 'significant financial challenges'.

Jobs and savings

The BBC aims to cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs, almost one in 10 of its roughly 21,500 full-time employees. Around 100 jobs will be cut at BBC News, and the broadcast closures will also remove a number of roles, including ten in Scotland. Those ten posts come on top of 60 BBC Scotland posts announced earlier this year. New director of BBC News Rachel Jupp will set out further savings early next year, while other divisions will confirm their own plans in the coming months. Earlier savings were already announced in BBC Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Local and Speech and Sounds.

Reaction in Scotland

Scottish Greens culture spokesperson Q Manivannan, an MSP, called the announcement a huge blow for staff and pushed for efforts to ensure Scotland does not miss out. She said the move would make BBC Scotland less accessible, particularly for older people and those who face barriers to getting online.

It is a backwards step that risks leaving viewers behind, and reflects a wider cultural crisis in Scotland.

Harriet Cross, the Tory shadow Scottish Secretary, urged the Scottish Government to protect Scottish TV jobs after the announcement. SNP MSP Alex Kerr called the decision 'appalling' and said it showed the BBC's 'disdain' for Scotland. The Scottish Greens said they are ready to support the Scottish Government in advocating for Scotland's broadcasting sector in talks with Westminster ahead of the BBC's Charter renewal next year.

Director-general's rationale

In a note to staff, director-general Matt Brittin framed the decision as part of the BBC's response to cost pressures and changing audience habits.

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.

Brittin said much of the content on the closing services would still be found on iPlayer and Sounds, and acknowledged that the confirmation would be hard for audiences and colleagues. In September 2026, he said that finances and changing viewing habits 'may well mean' some channels and radio stations close so that resources can move to on-demand services. On BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, he said the BBC would not guarantee that any programme or channel will exist forever.

Previous changes and cancellations

BBC Three moved online in 2016 and returned as a fully fledged TV channel in January 2022, so this is its second removal from linear TV. BBC Scotland launched as a channel in February 2019 with the investment of 80 journalism jobs. In recent months the BBC has cancelled RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, Live at the Apollo and Football Focus. DIY SOS will be 'rested' next year, and plans for a new bespoke studio for The Archers at the Tea Factory in Digbeth have been cancelled. The timeline below sets out the channel history and the announced changes.