The BBC has sent letters of resignation to some of its most famous news presenters, including Huw Edwards, Reeta Chakrabarti, Clive Myrie and Sophie Raworth.
The cash-strapped corporation, which is trying to cut costs by restructuring its news division, has written to all of its senior TV and radio hosts asking them to consider voluntary redundancies.
The Mail on Sunday has learned that the letter from Philippa Busby, the interim editor of news and current affairs, has been sent to senior figures at BBC1, as well as some of Radio 4’s biggest names, including Nick Robinson and Justin Webb, who host from the station’s flagship Today program.
The decision to attack some of the world’s leading journalists has sent shock waves through BBC News. Furious insiders say staff morale, which was already low, has fallen even further.
The resignation letters are linked to cost-cutting measures announced last year by Director General Tim Davie.
The BBC has sent resignation letters to a number of presenters, including Huw Edwards (pictured)
Reeta Chakrabarti (pictured) is also among those who received letters of resignation
As part of these plans, the Corporation has already merged the BBC News channel and its international counterpart BBC World News to create a new, more digitally focused channel.
As part of that move, broadcasters were invited to compete for a handful of key presenting roles. Ten senior jobs were cut, with high-profile stars including Joanna Gosling opting to quit.
Ms Busby’s letter – a copy of which has been viewed by The Mail on Sunday – says: ‘As you know, we have announced a number of changes to BBC News in 2022, which put some colleagues at risk of being made redundant. , including some colleagues in presenter roles.’
The letter, which was sent out early this month, asks staff who are “wanting to consider leaving the BBC voluntarily” to make an appointment with senior HR manager Tim Burden.
An editorial source, who declined to be named, said: “The email is addressed to all senior news presenters and presenters from the band directly below. Everyone got it on the same day.
Senior figures in TV news, including Huw Edwards, Sophie Raworth, Clive Myrie and Reeta Chakrabarti, have received the letter. It has also been sent to the main presenters of Radio 4’s program Today.’
The BBC, which hopes to avoid compulsory redundancies, gave the presenters time to report last Friday. Insiders say it’s uncertain whether anyone volunteered, not least because the BBC’s severance pay is capped at £150,000.
Such an amount is unlikely to appeal to some of the highest paid workers. Figures published by the Corporation last year show Mr Edwards, who presents both the six-hour and ten-hour bulletins, earned between £410,000 and £414,000, although that was a cut from the previous year.
The Mail on Sunday understands that the letter from Philippa Busby, the interim editor of news and current affairs, was sent to presenters such as Sophie Raworth (pictured)
The same figures showed Mrs Raworth earning between £305,000 and £309,999 and Mr Myrie between £255,000 and £259,000.
An insider, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘Busby’s email contains a link to the terms and conditions, which include the rule that severance pay will be capped at £150,000.
That’s a fair amount for most people. But if you’re in your early 50s and you earn that every year – which most of these presenters are – it’s not such an attractive proposition.
‘That’s especially the case if the prospect of finding work in the same place is very difficult. Where would these people go?’
Mr Edwards, 61, received the letter despite recently signing a new three-year deal. Before that, there had been speculation that he was planning to leave the BBC. No one in BBC News expects him to accept a voluntary resignation.
A BBC journalist, who also wished to remain anonymous, described the resignation letters as ‘depressing’ and said they added to the general atmosphere of ‘chaos’. Linking the letters to the reorganization of the news channels, the source added: “No one knows if the new channel will last a month or a year.”
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘This is not about cutting new jobs – it’s a standard HR exercise in relation to savings that we announced earlier – and it’s not aimed at individuals; we have to send it to everyone who is in the same class. We’re looking to express interest in resignation, not offer it, and it’s not like anyone or anyone who came forward would be accepted.”
