GB News ‘to cut over a third of staff’

GB News is reportedly axing more than a third of its 260-strong staff as part of a new cost-cutting drive.

The broadcaster, which celebrated its fifth birthday last month, has recently overtaken BBC News and Sky News in the ratings, registering the highest average audience – although it lags both in terms of reach.

According to The Times, the cuts “are expected to affect several areas of the business, including editorial, technology and HR”, with all of the on-air talent said to be safe in their jobs.

A former staff member told the newspaper: “It is already very, very lean although it had fattened slightly after the last round of redundancies because that’s the natural way of things.

“Output was affected last time and it will be again but newsrooms just absorb it. Fewer stories, done less well.”

The news comes as the channel plans to launch a new programme with an Australian focus, almost a year on from the launch of the US-based show The Late Show Live.