Nearly a quarter of BBC Comedy staff to lose jobs
The BBC comedy department is to lose 24% of its staff, as part of the broadcaster's attempt to reduce costs.
Out of 62 members of the comedy department, 15 are to be made redundant; including producers, assistant producers, personal assistants, script editors and production managers.
All of the loses are to come from the TV department, with the radio team unaffected. No senior posts are losing their jobs.
Cheryl Taylor, the BBC's comedy commissioner, has stressed that the cuts will not mean that the BBC will be retracting from comedy. She said: "The BBC continues to take comedy very seriously indeed. We have enjoyed an amazing year in terms of awards and critical acclaim and continue to nurture new writers and performers across all four platforms as well as support and promote established names."
Head of comedy Mark Freeland has written an email to all staff, saying: "BBC in-house comedy has had an outstanding and award winning few years, with exceptional programmes entertaining a wide range of audiences. Our content has been a credit to all the people who have worked so hard to create it, on screen and off. I am enormously grateful. However, over the last four years the comedy genre as a whole has had around 20 per cent less commissioning money, which in turn has impacted on the level of in-house production."
"We need to ensure that our overheads are at a sustainable, streamlined and affordable level, whilst for the benefit of our audiences, ensure that we have the right mix of skills in place, in order to deliver quality comedy programmes. Despite the proposed changes, in-house comedy will remain the biggest single supplier of comedy to the BBC."
The BBC will be seeking voluntary redundancies over the next six weeks. Talking to staff, Freeland added: "I know that the next six weeks and beyond will be very difficult for many of you. I am acutely aware of the impact that this news will have on all affected staff and their colleagues. We intend to make this process as clear, open and fair as possible."