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last mo.

BBC Faces £150M Content Budget Cut Amid 'Unprecedented' Funding Challenges

The broadcaster cites a £1 billion real-terms income drop since 2010, reduced co-production partnerships, and inflation as key pressures in its 2025 Annual Plan.

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Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson star in Doctor Who. A report cited a reduced appetite from global streamers for co-funding expensive dramas
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Overview

  • The BBC's content budget for the next 12 months will decrease by £150 million, reducing its total content spend to £2.5 billion.
  • A £33 million deficit was reported for the year, attributed to delayed transformation costs, despite earlier projections of a surplus.
  • The broadcaster has lost £1 billion in real-terms income since 2010, driven by frozen licence fees, inflation, and declining co-production partnerships with global streamers.
  • Plans include relocating more creative spending and programming outside London to better reflect diverse UK audiences and investing in artificial intelligence while acknowledging its risks.
  • The BBC reaffirmed its role as the leading creator of British content, with research showing it is more representative of UK lives than competitors like Netflix.