The BBC is set to axe its longstanding news show Sportsday as part of a huge overhaul.
The station is in the midst of a restructure with a wider focus on producing digital content which would see 27 jobs cut to create 27 new roles.
As a result, staff redundancies could happen as the BBC steers away from airing sports news.
Sportsday, which has aired on the BBC for 24 years, will air for the final time this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
The report claims that voluntary redundancy will be offered to the majority of staff on the sports desk.
A source claims the plans will ‘effectively kill sports news on television’ with the traditional way of consuming sports news being replaced with a modern approach.
The BBC hopes the overhaul will help grow its audience in the long term, however the news has reportedly not gone down well in-house.
Five members of the sports team are expected to be made redundant including three presenters and two correspondents as part of Value for All cost-cutting strategy.
A source told the Mail: “It feels like they are killing sports news on television.
“Those involved are distraught. It came as a shock and it’s fair to say that none of them saw it coming. They’re basically decimating the output of sports news on television.”
Sportsday, which was launched in 2001, airs 12 times a day from Monday to Thursday and 11 times on a Friday.
“The proposed changes would allow us to enhance our storytelling and live event coverage to ensure we remain relevant and deliver more value for audiences across the UK,” a spokeswoman for BBC Sport said.
The move caps off a huge year of transformation for BBC Sport with Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker stepping down from his role at the end of the season.
Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman will share hosting duties from next season in an unprecedented move from the broadcaster.
In November, Lineker announced he will step down from the show after 25 years as host after the BBC agreed a new four-year deal to air Premier League highlights.
“I feel this is now the right time,” Lineker said of his decision to stand down . “I think with the next contract, they’re looking to do Match of the Day slightly differently, so I think it makes sense for someone else to take the helm.”
“I always thought my next thing would be the end. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I’ve done Match of Day for 25 years. It’s been an absolute joy and a privilege to present such an iconic show for the BBC.
“But all things have to come to an end.”
