News Broadcasting
BBC, Fox to co-produce terrorism drama
LONDON: The BBC and Fox Television Studios in the US are joining forces to make a drama about a fictional terrorist attack on London.
The three part series The Grid will be told from the point of view of the US and UK anti-terrorist agencies and the terrorists themselves. The show is said to be loosely based on the BBC drama series Spooks.
The show is being produced by Fox and British company Carnival films, and will be shown on the BBC and TNT in the US. Carnival produced the highly-acclaimed 1989 drug-trafficking mini-series Traffik, which became the inspiration for Steven Soderburgh’s Oscar-winning 2001 film.
One of the show’s executive producers, Gareth Neame said, “There are quite a lot of similarities to Traffik. The Grid is an international project that looks in detail at a terrorist cell operating on a global level and how it carries out major terrorist acts and atrocities.”
A BBC spokeswoman said that the series would look at international terrorism in a way that Spooks – which deals with one story each episode – would not able to do. “Spooks is obviously UK based and this is looking at things on a much more global scale,” she said. She also said the series would be based on a fictional terrorist group.
One UK scriptwriter will join a team of US scriptwriters who are working on the show. The series will not be on screen until late next year at the earliest. The show’s total budget is expected to be about ?10m, and it will be based in the US, the UK and Africa.
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
