David Dimbleby ‘appalled’ by BBC making ‘very bad call’ to cut up to 2,000 jobs
David Dimbleby has said he is “appalled” by cuts at the BBC which will result in up to 2,000 people losing their jobs.
The national broadcaster aims to make £500 million in savings over two years, with job cuts announced in April set to take place over the next three years.
Speaking to Radio Times, the former Question Time host, 87, expressed his dismay at the decision.
“Why on earth have they done that? The best analysis of politics, both national and international… I’m appalled. Very bad, bad, bad, bad, bad call,” he said.
The former BBC journalist, who also presented Panorama, also criticised cuts made to BBC Studios Events.
The team responsible for coverage of national occasions such as Remembrance Day and state funerals was told all but one of its members will be axed to cut costs.
“And my God, BBC Events being closed,” Dimbleby, who provided commentary on Cenotaph services in Whitehall for more than 25 years and came out of retirement to lead the BBC’s coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, said.
“It takes months of connections to make friends with the people at the Palace, with Westminster Abbey, with the police, to know what’s going on with Downing Street so that when the day comes, everybody helps you.
“It’s a BBC gold standard to cover big national events. It’s at the heart of the BBC, and I cannot understand what they’re up to.
“But I have no power in the BBC.”
In a statement, the BBC said: “The BBC has to make at least £500 million of savings and BBC News, like all of the BBC, needs to play its part.
“We have tried to mitigate the impact on audiences as much as possible, so The World Tonight will be replaced by BBC World Service’s Newshour, another high-quality news analysis programme made by the same production team, preceded by a domestic news bulletin.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub