The BBC has confirmed the closure of BBC Three, BBC Scotland and BBC Radio 4 Extra linear broadcast services in Spring 2027. This “tough decisions” due to the sustained financial pressures facing the organisation, which must make savings of £500 million by 2028, as the Corporation has claimed in a statement.

According to the public broadcaster, these changes mean:

• BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer. Content will also be available on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland.
• BBC Three commissions, supported by increased investment in content for younger audiences will be available on BBC iPlayer and on other platforms, including YouTube.
• Programmes from Radio 4 Extra will be on BBC Sounds- and The Daily Service will be on BBC Sounds and local radio.

In a note to staff setting out the changes, BBC Director-General Matt Brittin explains: “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”.

On the closure of linear broadcast services, he adds: “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”.

Other changes have also been announced in BBC News. New Director of BBC News, Rachel Jupp will be laying out plans for further savings early next year as part of the longer-term vision for BBC News. Other divisions will confirm savings plans as soon as possible in the coming months.

This follows earlier savings announced in BBC Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Local, News and Speech and Sounds.