BBC to axe Radio 4’s The World Tonight after more than 50 years

News programme broadcast every weekday evening is one of first victims of corporation’s drive to cut £500m in costs

BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight is to be axed after more than 50 years, as part of a first round of sweeping cuts that will result in other shows being cut and the departure of hundreds of staff.

The 45-minute news programme, broadcast every weekday evening on Radio 4, is one of the first victims of a savings drive that will also put entire BBC channels and radio stations under review.

Its closure emerged as BBC departments began announcing savings, designed to axe as many as 2,000 jobs – with some compulsory redundancies – and trim £500m across the next three years. Some in the BBC already fear the cuts will lead to a strike.

On-screen figures will be among those leaving the corporation after a review of the BBC’s chief presenter roles.

In all, up to 150 fewer hours of programmes will be commissioned by the BBC by the end of the 2027-28 financial year.

In a morning note to staff, Matt Brittin, the new director general, indicated he was focusing cuts on areas that would help shift BBC content to digital platforms, where audiences were growing. He said the BBC would “review our broadcast TV channels and radio network portfolio as audiences move online”.

Its UK-wide channels currently include BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, the BBC News channel and BBC Parliament, as well as two children’s channels.

The World Tonight is the first big casualty. The programme was launched in 1970. Robin Lustig, who presented the programme for more than 20 years, said he was “deeply saddened” by the decision.

“The World Tonight has a long and honourable tradition as an award-winning, outward-looking, forward-thinking news programme, which I am proud to have been associated with for more than 20 years,” he said.

“It has been in BBC management’s sights for quite a while, so the decision comes as no surprise. At a time of snap judgments and widely disseminated disinformation, it is, if anything, more needed than ever before, I hope the BBC doesn’t come to regret its decision.”

From next April, the show will be replaced by a news bulletin and a simulcast of the World Service programme Newshour. Other Radio 4 shows to close are the Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show and Crossing Continents.

Other savings mean that Amol Rajan, the outgoing presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme, will not be replaced – meaning the main presenting roster of the flagship show will be reduced to four.

On BBC One, the Sunday morning edition of BBC Breakfast will be scrapped from September. The production teams for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will be merged.

The News channel will be made more international in focus, building on its growing and potentially lucrative global audience.

The closure of other programmes across the BBC will be announced in the coming weeks. Kate Phillips, the chief content officer, told staff that by the end of the next financial year, between 350 and 400 hours of audio content would be cut.

Senior management roles are also being reduced. Brittin said 10% of “senior leaders” would go as part of the cuts. About 700 roles are expected to go across its corporate divisions.

Brittin set out three principles behind the cuts. The first was to sustain output with the “highest audience value and impact”. The second was to meet audiences “where they are” – a nod to the rise of digital platforms such as YouTube.

Finally, he said he wanted to make the BBC “simpler and faster”, reducing duplication.

“We live in very uncertain times,” he said. “Our audiences rely on us every day to keep them informed, entertained and equipped to make sense of the world. Making savings while fulfilling our mission means a doubly difficult time for everyone.”

Philippa Childs, the head of the Bectu union, said: “These cuts, while expected, will still be devastating for the workforce and to the BBC as a whole. Ten per cent cuts when real-terms income from the licence fee is already down £1.3bn in the last decade is significant and will affect the BBC’s ability to deliver its public service mission.

“It seems clear that cuts will have a direct impact on programming and output, and audiences will also notice the effects.”