BBC Studios and Post Production (S&PP) is likely to make 44 staff redundant as it completes the final part of an internal reshuffle.

Chief executive Mark Thomas is in the process of finalising a new structure for the wholly owned commercial subsidiary that has seen its resources divided into four sections: drama services, sport and children’s, media
solutions, and entertainment.

The job losses will come from the latter, with 63 posts to close. Set and scenery movers, management and back-office staff will be affected. Some 19 new posts are also being created that will be filled from within the department.

BBC S&PP met with Bectu union representatives on Monday (29 March).

Thomas, who will have reduced head count from 735 to about 360 since joining in 2008, said he hoped some staff would take voluntary redundancy, but admitted compulsory cuts were likely.

“If we cannot fix that part of the company then we cannot grow the rest of it,” he told Broadcast. “The number of staff has halved [since I arrived] but we now have a business that has longevity.”

Thomas said that S&PP would make a small profit this year having made an £18m loss last year.

Recent studio credits include Harry Hill’s TV Burp (pictured), Piers Morgan’s Life Stories and Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.

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