BBC axes youth-targeted news programme The Catch Up as it becomes latest victim of £500m money-saving cuts

BBC Three’s brand will continue on iPlayer, but the closure of its broadcast service marks the second time the youth network has been taken off air.

The move is part of a sweeping cull of content across the BBC, which is under pressure to deliver £500 million in savings by 2028.

Director-General Matt Brittin informed staff of the changes on Tuesday. “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,” he wrote.

The Catch Up first appeared in 2022, coinciding with BBC Three’s return to linear broadcasting.

The brief bulletin, running between two and four minutes, aimed to deliver the day’s top stories to 16-24-year-olds through an informal, conversational style accompanied by eye-catching graphics.

Its founding editor Amanda Goodman told Press Gazette at the time of its launch: “We want to create relatable news for young people that doesn’t necessarily sound like the BBC, or the BBC they think exists at present.”

Deadline first reported The Catch Up’s demise. GB News has contacted the BBC for comment.

The BBC has defended its track record of engaging younger audiences, with a spokesperson noting to Deadline that the corporation remains the UK’s leading news publisher for 16-34-year-olds.

The spokesperson pointed to youth-focused services such as Newsbeat and Newsround as evidence of its continued commitment.

Since The Catch Up launched in 2022, the BBC’s presence on social media has expanded.

“There are significant and growing numbers of young people accessing BBC News across our social channels, including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube,” the spokesperson said.

“We have been clear in our commitment to providing news to young people and developing our news offering to reach audiences where they are.”

The corporation confirmed on Tuesday that three linear services – BBC Three, BBC Scotland’s dedicated channel, and BBC Radio 4 Extra – will all cease broadcasting by spring 2027.

The announcements were made to staff as part of what the BBC described as the next phase of its savings programme, driven by its aim to make £500 million in cuts before 2028.

The BBC Scotland closure will result in roughly 10 redundancies on top of 60 role cuts already announced by BBC Scotland earlier this year.

A consultation process with affected staff and unions is under way.

The Scottish Government responded with fury to the loss of BBC Scotland’s linear channel.

Culture Secretary Mairi McAllan branded the proposal “wholly unacceptable,” stating that her government “opposes it in the strongest possible terms.”

Ms McAllan characterised the decision as “the latest example of a long-standing pattern of BBC underinvestment in Scotland,” arguing it raised fundamental questions about the corporation’s commitment to Scottish audiences and its obligation to serve all parts of the UK equitably.

She confirmed she would raise her concerns directly with Ofcom.

Scottish Green culture spokesperson Q Manivannan called it “a huge blow for staff” and warned the shift away from traditional broadcasting risked excluding older viewers and those without reliable internet access.

“Public broadcasting should be available to everyone, not just those who are digitally connected,” the MSP said.