The BBC’s decision to reduce its specialist events production unit will likely impact its Royal Family funeral coverage, according to reports.
The corporation intends to cut its acclaimed BBC Studios Events team from six staff members down to just one, a move that could compromise coverage of deaths among senior royals.
Palace aides are thought to be worried that the restructuring will diminish both production standards and scheduling priority for major ceremonial broadcasts.
The team handles sensitive operations codenamed “Bridges”, the carefully prepared protocols governing official mourning periods and state funerals for members of the Royal family.
BBC’s decision set to impact Royal Family funeral coverage
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The decision comes as the BBC grapples with plans to slash more than £500million from its yearly budget amid what it has described as an “unprecedented” funding challenge.
Sources have reacted with disbelief to the cuts, highlighting the unit’s crucial role in broadcasting significant national occasions to viewers worldwide.
“In an age where not many people watch linear national television, these are the people who present national moments for the eyes of the world,” one source told The Telegraph.
The source also pointed out that while certain events allow for advance preparation and staffing arrangements, others, particularly royal deaths, arrive without warning.
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral took place in September 2022 | PA
The unit boasts an impressive pedigree stretching back more than seven decades, having covered every ceremonial occasion since Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953.
Its work has earned considerable industry recognition, with Bafta awards for both the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral coverage.
As recently as last week, the team secured a Royal Television Society Award for its live broadcast marking Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, 2025, commemorating 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The production of Nelson Mandela’s funeral and the weddings of both the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also fall among its credits.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day in 2018 | PA
Prince William and the Princess of Wales on their wedding day in 2011
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The BBC has defended its approach, insisting that hiring freelancers for major events represents “usual practice” for the corporation.
Claire Popplewell will remain as the sole permanent team member, bringing extensive experience from overseeing coverage of landmark occasions, including the Wales and Sussex royal weddings and Mandela’s funeral.
A BBC Studios spokesman stated: “The BBC and its production arm, BBC Studios, remains committed to broadcasting and producing events of national importance including ceremonial and live events.”
The spokesman added that proposed changes would help the organisation “stay strong creatively” whilst managing costs in what it described as a “challenging and fast-moving market.”