The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is responsible for some of the most influential shows, reaching audiences in several countries beyond its base in London. Sadly, like many networks, the BBC has now been forced to cancel three long-running shows in this changing television landscape, including “Blankety Blank,” which first premiered in 1979. This comes after “Doctor Who” was recently paused at the network.
According to Deadline, the BBC is canceling not only “Blankety Blank,” but also “Celebrity Mastermind” and “Live At The Apollo.” The bombshell cancellations are the result of the network’s need to save roughly $664 million over the next few years.
The network released a statement, saying, “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.
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.”
Each of the Three BBC Shows Has a Long History
As mentioned, “Blankety Blank,” which is a game show where contestants fill in missing words to complete humorous sentences, originally launched in 1979 with Terry Wogan as the host. It debuted on British Television. Decades later, the BBC revived the show in 2021 with Bradley Walsh as the host. Fremantle-owned Thames produces the show.
“Celebrity Mastermind” is a quiz show that premiered as a special in 2002. Since then, there have been an astounding 24 seasons of the series. Currently, Clive Myrie hosts the show. Fans will be happy to know that there will be one more season of the show before it ends.
“Live At The Apollo” is a stand-up comedy series that dates back to 2004 and has helped launch the careers of notable comedians such as Michael McIntyre and Alan Carr. Like “Celebrity Mastermind,” there is still one more season left.
The Cost Cuts Explained
Per Deadline, the BBC is facing a funding crisis. Per Deadline, the budget cuts are part of a £100M savings target for the network’s content division, which is part of its overall target for cost-cutting. Part of this is the result of the fact that despite 94% of the population watching the BBC, only 80% of the viewers pay toward the licensing fee.
The licensing fee for the BBC is £180 per year.
‘Doctor Who’ Has Also Been Impacted
GettyIn June, the BBC announced that for the first time in over 20 years, there would be no “Doctor Who” Christmas Special. This comes as the network has essentially paused the series for the time being.
The network released a statement, saying, “As part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations, and in line with the BBC’s Charter and Agreement requirements, the BBC will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year. Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who, ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come.”
They added, “After careful consideration, the BBC, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode. This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory.”
The most recent “Doctor Who” Christmas special aired in December 2024 with Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor after his two seasons as the beloved character.
