BBC axes several popular TV shows as part of major cuts

Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live At The Apollo have been cancelled by the BBC, as the broadcaster makes "really tough choices" to try and save £500m over the next three years.

In a statement, the corporation said it was "incredibly proud" of the programmes, but savings had to be made amid "funding challenges".

Bosses announced in June that they would be cutting 550 roles, decommissioning shows and reviewing the positions of chief news presenters as part of sweeping cuts across the BBC.

Several Radio 4 programmes have already been axed and the latest announcement includes the first TV show cuts.

Live At The Apollo, a platform for stand-up comedians to showcase routines, has run for 22 years and is credited for helping to launch the TV careers of comics such as Michael McIntyre, Kathrine Ryan, John Bishop, Russell Howard and Jason Manford.

And after returning to screens in 2020 in a reboot with presenter Bradley Walsh, quiz show Blankety Blank is also being cut.

Celebrity Mastermind, the quiz show which sees stars face difficult questions to raise money for charity, first launched in 2002 following the success of the original version.

The BBC has confirmed the original show, hosted by Clive Myrie, will continue.

Both Celebrity Mastermind and Live At The Apollo have one more series each still to broadcast.

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"We are incredibly proud of all three of these much-loved shows and would like to thank everyone involved, both in front of and behind the camera, for bringing them to screen and making them such a success over many years," the BBC said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, we have to make some really tough choices in light of our funding challenges, and these savings have been identified from the Entertainment genre."

Cuts across the content division will result in a reduction of about 100-150 hours of originated TV programmes across genres by the end of 2027-28, the corporation said, and further savings will be announced in the coming months.

The broadcaster will still continue to commission "ambitious" entertainment shows and invest in "distinctive UK content" from a wide range of independent production companies, the statement said, as well as prioritising "digital innovation that can serve fans of these shows and beyond".

Digital plans focused on stand-up and emerging comedy talent are due to be announced shortly.

After the cuts were announced, BBC staff were sent an email suggesting an annual pay increase of just 1%, well below inflation.

Earlier this month, the BBC released its annual report, featuring its top salaries.

Former Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills was the highest earner for 2025-26, until he was sacked in March, the figures showed.

(c) Sky News 2026: BBC axes several popular TV shows as part of major cuts