- The BBC has cancelled three famous shows – Celebrity Mastermind, the Blankety Blank revival and Live at the Apollo – as part of its attempt to make £500m in savings over the next two years.
- The broadcaster said in a statement: “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.”
- It added: “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.”
- Live at the Apollo, a BBC mainstay for 22 years, has one final series ready for broadcast.
- The BBC has come under pressure to make cuts in recent years, with the broadcaster reporting that its income from the £180 annual licence fee has fallen by a quarter over the past decade.
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