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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lauren Del Fabbro

Channel 4 to cut 300 jobs in major broadcaster shake-up

Channel 4 is planning to cut around 300 jobs (Lewis Whyld/PA) - (PA Wire)

Channel 4 is set to cut around 300 jobs in one of the largest redundancy rounds in its 43-year history.

The broadcaster plans to reduce its workforce by about a quarter, as initially reported by The Guardian.

The news arrives months after former Warner Bros. Discovery executive Priya Dogra took over as chief executive in March.

Channel 4’s 2025 annual report recorded an average headcount of 1,276 last year, with between 300 and 325 positions expected to be removed, according to The Guardian.

It comes almost two years after 200 positions were cut under Alex Mahon’s leadership.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: "As we have shared publicly, under the leadership of our new CEO, we have been assessing Channel 4’s strategic direction, including a comprehensive review of the structure, shape and size of our organisation.

The Channel 4 workforce is expected to be reduced by about a quarter (PA Wire)
The Channel 4 workforce is expected to be reduced by about a quarter (PA Wire)

"We have committed to keeping Channel 4 staff updated in a timely and transparent way, so any organisational change will be shared with them first and we won’t be commenting on speculation."

Ms Dogra is expected to discuss the plans during an all-staff meeting on Wednesday. London-based positions are likely to be targeted following a pledge to increase staffing in the nations and regions.

These redundancies follow a decision by the BBC months ago to cut around 2,000 jobs to reduce its workforce by 10%.

The brutal job cuts left veteran broadcaster veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby “appalled”.

Speaking to Radio Times about the BBC’s decision, Dimbleby said in July: “Why on earth have they done that? The best analysis of politics, both national and international… I’m appalled. Very bad, bad, bad, bad, bad call.”

Dimbleby, who previously hosted Question Time, also criticised cuts made to BBC Studios Events.

David Dimbleby previously criticised the BBC’s job cuts (BBC)
David Dimbleby previously criticised the BBC’s job cuts (BBC)

The team responsible for coverage of national occasions like Remembrance Day and state funerals was told all but one of them will be axed to cut costs.

“And my God, BBC Events being closed!” Dimbleby added.

“It takes months of connections to make friends with the people at the Palace, with Westminster Abbey, with the police, to know what’s going on with Downing Street, so that when the day comes, everybody helps you.

“It’s a BBC gold standard to cover big national events. It’s at the heart of the BBC, and I cannot understand what they’re up to. But I have no power in the BBC.”

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