Death of Football Focus is a signal for every brand at the World Cup May 1, 2026 Brands will spend fortunes on this summer’s World Cup but they should heed the BBC’s warning when scrapping Football Focus, writes Amar Singh. I grew up with Football Focus. Saturday lunchtime, Bob Wilson in a grey suit, grainy footage of some Division Two ground in the rain. It was the traditional seat-warmer for a weekend [...]
Football Focus to be axed but Alex Scott to remain key BBC Sport presenter April 23, 2026 The BBC is scrapping Football Focus at the end of this season after more than half a century but has promised that host Alex Scott will not disappear from its programming. The Saturday lunchtime magazine show launched in 1974 and became a staple of the BBC’s sport coverage but is being axed in response to [...]
BBC to cut 2,000 jobs ahead of Matt Brittin takeover April 15, 2026 The BBC is set to cut up to 2,000 jobs in its largest round of redundancies in 15 years, as the broadcaster accelerates cost-cutting plans ahead of a leadership change next month. Staff were briefed on the proposals at a company-wide meeting on Wednesday, with the cuts expected to affect roughly 10 per cent of [...]
The Last Supper: Michael Socha on his mum’s Sunday roast April 14, 2026 This is England and The Cage star Michael Socha tells us what he’d eat for his last meal on earth, from his mum’s Sunday roast to a Pizza Express dessert I’ve always liked food that’s a bit weird. I like going to the local store in different countries to try and find something strange. As [...]
Social media bosses not serious about safety, says MP March 28, 2026 Tech bosses have not been “serious” about social media safety, an MP who formerly worked on Meta’s AI ethics team has said. In an interview with the BBC, former minister Josh Simons said a recent court decision finding Meta and Google liable for a woman’s childhood social media addiction should “terrify” tech chiefs. The jury [...]
BBC appoints former Google executive as director general March 25, 2026 Former Google executive Matt Brittin has been confirmed as the BBC’s next director general, taking over from Tim Davie at a pivotal moment for the broadcaster. Brittin spent nearly two decades at Google, most recently serving as president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa before stepping down in 2025. He will now lead the [...]
Revolut and Nationwide sharpen swords in battle to bank Britain March 25, 2026 The claws are out in the battle to bank Britain and in this week’s column Samuel Norman takes a look at the latest shots fired from Revolut and Nationwide. If you had ‘Graham Norton sitting on a horse’ on your banking bingo card, congratulations. The BBC chat show host has swapped his famous sofa with [...]
Exclusive: Times Radio in discussions for Boat Race radio rights February 26, 2026 Times Radio is in advanced discussions with the Boat Race over the exclusive radio rights for the annual Oxbridge regatta on the Thames, City PM understands. The race’s TV broadcast is already switching from the BBC to Channel 4 and organisers are now closing in on a move to commercial radio for the first time [...]
Households to pay more for BBC TV licence, government confirms February 6, 2026 Households across the country will see their bills rise after the Labour government increased the TV licence fee that funds the BBC. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport said on Friday that the annual levy will be increased to £180 from 1 April. This marks a £5.50 yearly increase. The move follows rules brought [...]
