BBC axe interview show HARDtalk after almost 30 years

It has also revealed that it is looking to reduce more than 100 news roles at the broadcaster.

On Tuesday (October 15), the BBC said that HARDtalk which usually runs Monday to Thursday will shut in March 2025, after it first aired in 1997.

It has seen former president of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? star Major Charles Ingram, late Venezuela leader Hugo Chavez, Russian foreign affairs minister Sergey Lavrov, and ex-president of the FIA Max Mosley grilled.

“The decisions by companies are sort of running ahead of where states are, with all the consequences thereof”

Cyber policy expert Marietje Schaake says powerful Silicon Valley companies have created technologies “without any consideration of what it might mean for geopolitics” pic.twitter.com/qzbnDGn4ox

— BBC HARDtalk (@BBCHARDtalk) October 15, 2024

Stephen Sackur, one of the journalists who has hosted the show has since broken his silence about the "sad news".

He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is sad news for me personally, but much more important, I think it’s depressing news for the BBC and all who believe in the importance of independent, rigorous, deeply-researched journalism.

“At a time when disinformation and media manipulation are poisoning public discourse, HARDtalk is unique – a long-form interview show with only one mission, to hold to account those who all too often avoid accountability in their own countries.”

Sackur said he had been “enormously fortunate to pursue my journalism within the BBC”, and was looking at new opportunities for next year.

BBC's Highest Paid Stars 2023/24

BBC Radio 4 Today programme presenter Mishal Husain, who has presented HARDtalk, wrote: “It’s been my privilege to see the dedication and focus of the outstanding Hardtalk team, led by (editor) Lisa Baxter, when I’ve worked with them.

“Thoughts with all affected by today’s (Tuesday's) announcements.”

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A BBC spokeswoman said HARDtalk “has done great work” but “some tough decisions” are being made due to the need for savings and how people watch news programming.

They added: "People are coming to our news channel for live and breaking news, while across the whole of BBC News we have hard-hitting long-form interviews and discussion on more platforms than ever, for instance via our global on-air editors and our debate and discussion programmes.

“We can no longer afford to run so many bespoke programme teams.”