The BBC has announced the end of its long-running consumer affairs programme You and Yours, which has been on air since 1970, as part of a wider cost-cutting initiative aimed at saving £500 million by 2028-29. The decision affects several Radio 4 shows, reflecting the broadcaster’s efforts to reshape its speech radio content amid declining licence fee revenue and changing audience habits.
You and Yours, often described as “the Citizens Advice Bureau of the air,” has been a fixture of Radio 4 for more than five decades. The show, which has been presented in recent years by Winifred Robinson and Peter White, is set to be replaced by a “refreshed” consumer programme designed to function both on traditional radio and on-demand platforms. The BBC stated that the new format would continue the legacy of original reporting, practical advice, and holding organisations to account, key features that have defined You and Yours.
The axing comes alongside cuts to a number of other Radio 4 programmes, including the social sciences series Thinking Allowed, the arts programme Free Thinking, and the artificial intelligence-focused The Artificial Human. These programmes will be replaced by two new year-round weekly shows—one exploring contemporary ideas shaping society and the other examining the impact of technology and AI.
Jonathan Wall, director of BBC Sounds, said the corporation is “reshaping BBC speech audio to build a strong future for trusted journalism and distinctive storytelling,” emphasizing the need to invest in fewer programmes that can work effectively across multiple formats, including podcasts and digital platforms. He acknowledged that these were “difficult decisions” driven not solely by cost but also by the need to adapt to audience expectations and consumption habits. As part of broader budget adjustments, BBC Radio 5 Live will also reduce spending on scheduled programmes and sports podcasts.
The move reflects ongoing challenges for the BBC, which reported a significant drop in active TV licences, falling by 539,000 in a single year to 23.3 million—the lowest level since 1999. While the corporation maintains it reaches 94% of adults monthly, fewer than 80% of households currently pay the licence fee, intensifying pressure on its funding.
Former presenters of You and Yours include John Waite, who hosted the show for 22 years until 2008, alongside previous contributors such as Crimewatch’s Sue Cook and The Food Programme’s Derek Cooper. The programme has been recognized for notable consumer protection investigations, including exposing Covid-19 vaccination scams in 2021.
The BBC’s director-general, Matt Brittin, has urged the organisation to become “more fleet-footed” in responding to changing media landscapes. The cost-saving measures are expected to result in around 2,000 job cuts across the corporation as it reassigns resources to digital development and seeks to maintain core programming strengths on Radio 4 and 5 Live.