Broadcast slot will go to BBC One +1

The BBC has revealed more details of its plans to close BBC Three as a broadcast channel.

If the BBC’s regulators, the BBC Trust, give the go-ahead, the channel will move to an iPlayer only service.

Director general Tony Hall says the plan is to slash the channel’s budget from £90million to £25million

The service, which will be moved to iPlayer, will see its overall cost reduced from £90m to £25m, while some shows will go out on other channels.

Half of the commissioning budget will be ploughed back into BBC One, while cutting BBC Three would create space for a BBC One +1 service and an evening extension of CBBC.

The proposals have been endorsed by the BBC's executive board, but the Trust is likely to carry out a full consultation before approval.

It is expected that any change will happen next year.

Fans of the channel have already started petitions to save it while Matt Lucas was one of many who have branded the move ‘really bad for new comedy’.

The move to iPlayer only might have implications – as you don't need a TV licence to watch BBC content online as long as it is not being shown simultaneously on air.

Published: 6 Mar 2014