BBC News to scrap education editor role in cost cuts

BBC News plans to scrap its dedicated education editor role and combine it with the social affairs editor job, as part of cost cuts that will affect 100 jobs across the newsroom, according to The Guardian. The changes are planned to save £5.5m.

Branwen Jeffreys is the BBC's education editor, and Alison Holt is its social affairs editor. Richard Burgess, the BBC's director of news content, told staff he was proposing the change after a review of on-air editor roles, meaning the correspondents who appear regularly on BBC programmes in a specialist field.

The health editor title will also end. When Hugh Pym leaves in the spring, the health job will be folded into the medical editor role held by Fergus Walsh.

The cuts sit within a wider programme. In February, the BBC announced a £600m cost-cutting plan that involves reducing its headcount, meaning the number of staff. In September, The Guardian reported that the corporation was aiming to cut as many as 2,000 jobs as it seeks £500m in savings by 2028.

Two days before the education and social affairs changes were reported, the BBC's wider plans included the closure of two channels. The Guardian reported that BBC Three and BBC Scotland, both traditional scheduled TV channels, were to be shut down. The Telegraph reported that BBC Three was being scrapped for a second time as part of the October 2026 budget cuts.

On the same day, Rachel Jupp warned staff that a £51m cuts target could yet increase, according to The Guardian.

In June, Reuters reported that the BBC said it would cut 550 jobs, including in its news and content divisions.