BBC Three to be taken off air again as more BBC closures announced

The BBC has pulled the plug on BBC Three for the second time in a decade, as the channel is expected to be switched off next spring amid cost-cutting measures.

Reports that BBC Three was at risk of closure, as part of plans the BBC has been implementing to tighten its belt, first circulated last month. It has now been confirmed that the youth channel that launched beloved shows like Fleabag and Gavin & Stacey will cut to black on TV in a bid to save £500 million by 2028.

BBC Three isn't the only casualty of the new conservative approach. BBC Scotland and Radio 4 Extra are also set to close as linear networks from spring 2027.

Both BBC Three and BBC Scotland will be retained on iPlayer, as the Beeb has also been considering to reform its current TV licence fee so that it could reflect new models of consumption and incorporate services beyond TV.

The closures come after the BBC cancelled three shows in the summer as part of the new approach, with BBC Three also recently axing RuPaul's Drag Race in a shocking move. Meanwhile, the threat of layoffs also looms large on BBC News, as reported by Deadline this week.

In a memo to staff detailing the decision, BBC director-general Matt Brittin said: "We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices."

"Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy them on iPlayer and Sounds," Brittin added.

"While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues."

This is the second time that BBC Three has switched to streaming-only. It originally moved to iPlayer in 2016 before former director general Tim Davie restored it to television in 2022.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).